Turning Point
by Genessis Mendez
Summary: Updated. When the queen asks Rose to leave in order to leave her and Dimitri alone, will Rose accept or ask for help? Sometimes not even the strongest of us is able to do everything by her self. Will Dimitri ever forgive her? What about Kathryn?
1. Chapter 1

**DPOV**

As soon as Roza said the word Strigoi I switched to my Guardian mode. She was so scared that I could I feel it radiating off her, knowing she was feeling that way didn't help me to keep an eye on everything around us because most of my mind was focused on her and our baby. The other night was repeating itself again and the same feeling of hopelessness flooded through me.

I looked around for any sign of movement or anything that might tell me where the Strigoi were coming from but when nothing happened and my tension only increased. Roza couldn't be wrong about Strigoi.

"We have to get out of here" she murmured so low that I could barely hear her, fear was clear in her voice. I flinched a little and nodded.

"Yes Roza, stay behind me and don't let go of my hand" I said and took her hand.

I started to lead the way towards the sidewalk where the sunlight was and we'd be ok. Walking silently and very alert we almost made it. I could see the sidewalk yards away, we only needed to get there. A couple of steps and we'd be there…

Suddenly I felt Roza tense and then she was thrown away from me landing near a tree with a loud thud. I wanted to rush to her side but the Strigoi came at me with full force. I barely had time to dodge away but his fist still hit me square on the jaw. I let out a yelp of pain and then attacked him.

My fist landed on the side of his head and he stumbled two steps back, I took advantage of that and kicked him on his stomach and wherever I was able to. I instinctively put my hand on my belt looking for my stake but it was empty. I didn't bring it because I thought that nothing could happen in plain daylight. What a stupid thing to do, now this might cost Roza's life and mine. I had had the thought that bad things couldn't happen during day light. I was so stupid because I had been the one to tell Roza that bad things could happen any time.

With a last kick he fell to the floor. Before I could snap his neck to get some time more two female Strigoi came and one of them pushed me against a tree so hard that I think some of my ribs broke and I might have even gotten a concussion.

I almost saw stars dancing around me but I managed to get a grip on my self and before the Strigoi could sink her teeth into my throat I kicked her and that gave me enough time to free my self from her.

The other female came rushing to me and also tried to hit me but this one had been a Moroi and wasn't very smart or trained. I jumped at her and wrapped my legs around her waist. She was smaller but stronger so she didn't stumbled backwards with my weight, she tried to get me off her but I grabbed her skull and managed to break her neck. That gave ne time.

I was about to jump off her when the female came back, grabbed my arm and pulled it behind me. She pinned me to a tree, and almost bit into my neck but I elbowed her and her fangs barely brushed my neck.

I turned around and almost did the same as I did before but the male Strigoi put his arm around my neck and pinned me to the ground.

While one was holding me the other one tilted my head to one side to bare my neck and I saw Roza being carried away by another Strigoi and I felt an unusual blinded rage buildup inside my chest. My Roza was being taken away from me and I wasn't doing anything.

Out of nowhere I got the strength I needed and pushed both Strigoi off of me. They were surprised and out of the corner of my eye I saw the other Strigoi moving. She was still on the floor but she was healing and soon she'll be trying to kill me again.

I kicked the female as hard as I could and she stumbled backwards, then I jumped on the male and broke his neck. By the time the female got back to me I was already ready for her. She tried to circle and trap me but I was very smart and attacked her.

She moved away and I almost hit the tree with my fist, she came from behind and bit hard into my neck. I felt the pain and then the adrenaline rush from the bite. I let my self relax for a second but then the image of my Roza being dragged away from me made me snap out of it and I fight against them. With a hit to the face the female let go of me long enough for me to move and snap her neck.

I looked around for a branch of tree and when I found it I broke it into three and staked the two Strigoi.

With that done I looked around and saw that the way that the Strigoi had dragged Roza was towards the woods, deeper into the park and to make things worse it was getting darker. Soon night will fall and he'll be able to get her wherever he wants.

Cursing I started running looking for her but I heard someone running behind me and when I turned around I saw the other female Strigoi, the one that I broke her neck first. I had completely forgotten about her. She must have healed because she threw herself at me with her fangs bare and then she bit hard into my shoulder. She didn't just wanted to bit she wanted to destroy my shoulder with her fangs.

**RPOV**

Unsurprisingly I woke up with a head ache. For a few seconds I had no idea what had happened or where I was, I only had the throbbing pain in my abdomen that scared the hell out of me.

As drowsiness wore off, the events on the woods came rushing back to me. I sat upright, all of my defenses kicking into action, despite the slightest wooziness in my head. It was time to figure out what I was supposed to do next.

I sat up on an enormous bed in a darkened room. No-not just a room. More like a suit or a studio.

The half of the studio I sat in contained the bed and usual bedroom accessories: a dresser, nightstands, etc. The other half looked like living room area, with a couch and television. Shelves were built into the walls, all of them filled with books. Off to my right was a short hall with a door at the end. Probably a bathroom.

On my other side was a large picture window, tinted, as Moroi windows often were. This one had more tint than any I'd ever seen. It was almost solid black, nearly impossible to see through.

It was very dark so I supposed that it was night time.

The last thing I remember was being bitten by the Strigoi and seeing the ski getting darker.

Dimitri.

He must be injured somewhere in that place, probably dying and I couldn't do anything to help him. As if the baby had also realized that her Father was in danger she started to move and kick. I rubbed my belly lovingly to try to calm her down.

"Don't worry everything will be ok. I won't let anything happen to you and I'm sure that your daddy will be looking for us and will find us in no time, you'll see." I hoped that it was true because if something happened to Dimitri or the baby it'll break into tiny pieces and probably will die.

I slid off the bed, my senses on high alert for the first time in months since I left the academy after the attack, as I tried to assess my danger. I didn't feel any nausea so there was not Strigoi around. That didn't necessarily rule out some other person, however. I couldn't take anything for granted-not when my baby's life was on my hands.

Sliding off the bed I saw nothing nearby that would pass as a weapon, meaning that I'd have to try to rely on my pregnant body to do the fighting. Great.

Out of the corner of my eyes I caught sight of the light switch. I flipped it and froze, waiting to see what-or who-the overhead lights would unveil.

Nothing unusual. No one else. Immediately, I did the first thing obvious and checked the door. It was locked, as I'd expected, and the only way of opening it was a numeric keyboard. Plus, it was heavy and made out of what looked was steel.

I threw my hands up in the air in exasperation. This was just so fucking great, I'm trapped in a room pregnant and at any moment a Strigoi could come in and kill me along with my baby, and when Dimitri finds out he'll feel guilty and his heart will break. Something that I wouldn't like. He loves me and the baby, and I love him so much that it hurts.

I tried the keyboard and nothing happened, I hadn't actually expected to magically open but it was still a disappointment. There was no getting passed it, so I turned back around to continue my exploration. It was kind of ironic. A lot of my classes had gone over detailed ways of checking out a place. I'd always hated those, I'd wanted to learn how to fight. Now it appeared those lessons that had seemed useless at the time had a real purpose.

Why didn't I pay more attention to my classes? Oh yeah because I had been only thinking about Lissa, Guarding her and Dimitri. All in that exact order.

The light had brought the suit's objects into sharper relief. The bed was covered in ivory satin velvet, filled to maximum fluffiness with down. Creeping over the living room I saw that the TV was nice, very nice and I got mad at my self for even noticing that. I mean I could die at any moment and that would kill my baby too and here I was admiring a Strigoi's house. Good one Rose.

Though I do have to admit that even the couches were nice, new actually, covered in matte green leather.

All of the furniture in the place-tables, desk, dresser-was made of a smooth, polished black wood. In a corner of the living room I saw a small refrigerator. Kneeling down I opened it up to find bottled water and juice, assorted fruits, and bags of perfectly cut cheeses. On top of the refrigerator was more snack-type food: nuts, crackers and some type of glazed pastry. My stomach growled at the sight of it.

I realized that I had to make a decision. Eat or not eat. If I eat I might be able to gain some strength and I'd probably be able to defend my self a bit against the Strigoi. If I don't eat I'll probably get sick and that'd affect the baby.

Sighing I took out a bottle of water and the pastry along with the crackers. I walked over to the couch and sat down. I put the food on the coffee table and started eating. It was actually good but I was very worried and didn't enjoy it that much. The baby was kicking and moving too much, which was making me very uncomfortable, and I was getting very annoyed.

I ate everything and then went back for some juice. The juice was actually better but then I had the urge to eat something sweeter and the only thing sweeter was the fruits. I ate two apples and a peach in record time.

After eating I left the food there and walked back to keep with my exploration.

The bathroom was done in the same style as the rest of the studio. The shower and large Jacuzzi tub were made of black polished marble, and little soaps and shampoos lined the counter. A large mirror hung over the sink, except… it wasn't actually hanging. It was embedded so tightly into the wall that there was absolutely no way it could be removed.

Well I wasn't getting out that way.

The material was also strange. It looked more like a reflecting material than glass.

I thought that all that was strange so I ran back to the living room and looked around. Nothing was useful for a weapon. The TV was too big to move or break and with me being pregnant wasn't helping because if I even try to carry that I might have an abortion with no doctor around to help me.

There was no glass in any of the tables, the shelves were embedded. The bottles in the refrigerator were plastic and the window…

I ran over it and felt its surface. It was also perfectly fitted into the wall. There were no panes. It was one smooth piece. Squinting, I finally got a detailed view of my outer surroundings and saw… nothing.

The land appeared to be rolling planes with only a few scattered trees. I was no longer in a Baia. This place couldn't possibly be anywhere near a city because it looked like this wilderness kept on going miles and miles.

And peering down I saw that I was fairly high up. Fourth floor maybe. There was no way I'd risk jumping, even if I wasn't pregnant I'm sure that I wouldn't even think about it. It was too high to jump without breaking something.

I still had to do something. I couldn't just sit here and wait.

If I hadn't been this up high I might have at least tried to break the glass with one of the chairs but I have a feeling that that might not work, even if I actually try to it wouldn't do any good since I was about four stories high.

I started pacing around the room I don't know for how long I did that and when I was about to go crazy my stomach warned me of a Strigoi's approach.

Spinning around I backed away from the door and tried to lift one of the chairs but it was too heavy for me and I didn't tried again afraid that I might hurt the baby.

The door opened and I wrapped my arms around my belly protectively expecting to be attacked by the Strigoi but he only came in and stood there watching me with cold tenderness and he stood impassive.

I glared at him with hatred but he didn't even seem to care or notice.

"What I'm I doing here?" I snapped at him and he tilted his head to one side studying me.

"You're here because I wanted you here" He responded, his voice low and dangerous. I shivered at its coldness but I didn't let him know how scared I was. Instead I shifted my weight to my other foot and crossed my arms across my chest. That move made my boobs look even bigger than they already were because of the pregnancy, Dimitri had told me so and he also told me that he loved it.

I pushed those kind of thoughts away because anything involving my good, loving Dimitri was just too good and pure to be thought in front of this monster.

"No shit." I said in my own bitchy voice. "I already figured that out but what I don't understand is why do you want me here" He just stared at me, I think he was checking me out. For a second I felt good to still be appreciated even though I was pregnant but the feeling went away as fast as it came because I remembered that this was a Strigoi. He was already dead and mad, so it didn't really count. And why on earth I'm caring about it? I should be trying to figure out how to get out of here.

"That's easy, you're very important to someone we despise very much and if I awaken you then they'll probably have to kill you." The way he said it, that cold harsh voice made me feel even more nauseous.

"Who is we?" I asked him trying to distract him enough so I could make a run for the door.

"Galina and I." He said it as if I should know who the hell Galina was. Should I know who is she?

Who could they despite that much? Dimitri? My mom? Who? I had no idea and whoever he wanted to make suffer it involved me and my baby, which was no good.

"And the fact that you're pregnant will only make it more painful. I'm not sure what will happen to the baby after you're turned though" He had a thoughtful look in his eyes and I took advantage of it and made a run for the door, maybe he had left it open or something but before I even took 4 steps he stopped me by pinning me against the wall.

The strength of his blow hadn't been that much but I still felt it as if it had been with much more force.

"Don't even try to escape or I'll kill the baby" He warned and put his big hand on my belly to make that clear. Something in his voice made me stop fighting because I knew that he'd do it if he had to and I loved the baby too much to let it happen.

I only nodded but he didn't release me like I thought he would. He kept his firm grip on my belly and his other arm stayed on my neck.

"Please don't hurt the baby" I begged him and every nerve rebelled because I've never begged for anything or to anyone, much less to a Strigoi. But my baby's life was much more important to me than my stupid ego.

My baby started moving and kicking again, this time the Strigoi did notice it and looked down at my belly where his hand rested. He looked almost thoughtful

"I won't as long as you cooperate and don't try to do anything idiotic." He replied.

"Fine but please let me go, your hurting the baby" I said and he looked at me.

"No" Was all he said and then he tilted my head to one side exposing my neck. I tried to resist but he was stronger than me and I had no choice but to obey.

"Don't resist!" He snarled and I stopped fighting at once letting out a cry of pain because his grip tightened on my belly.

I put my hands on his shoulder so he wouldn't bit that hard this time and closed my eyes so I wouldn't have to see him. I felt his fangs bit into my flesh and I had to clench my teeth together to keep my self from crying.

The same amazing feeling came back to me and for a couple of seconds I didn't care about anything but when he was done my legs buckled beneath me and I felt like blood whore. I was being the food source of a Strigoi. Something not good at all but if it meant that my baby could live than I was going to do it.

He had to carry me back to the bed so I wouldn't fall on the living room. He left me there and then licked the wound.

I was feeling warm all over and disgusted with my self at the same time. I wanted Dimitri to be here with me to comfort me and rescue me from this evil Strigoi but he obviously wasn't anywhere near here.

"I've left some clothes for you in the bathroom, you can change" I had closed my eyes by then but I knew when he had left because the nausea disappeared and I drift off to sleep.

I was in a beautiful garden, one that seemed very familiar. It was so beautiful that I decided to walk around and see for my self. I realized where I was at the same time that I saw Adrian.

"Rose!" He said relieved and then his arms were around me in a tight hug.

"Adrian" I was relived to see him too because this meant that either he already knew about what happened in Russia or he was just visiting and he could tell Dimitri that I was as fine as I could be with Strigoi.

**I know this is extremely short compared to the other chapters but I wanted to leave you hanging for the next chapter. I really enjoy writing ****these chapters and all that but I want you guys to review. The review button is calling you! Just imagine that the review button is Dimitri's butt! How many times do you want to push that button now, uh? If I were you I'd be pushing it many, many times. Hahaha.**

**Anyhow I really wanted to tell you about this other fan fiction story that I had been reading and I swear to God that it's so funny and awesome! Its called MEANT TO BE and I almost pee my self when I read it. I only read it on Friday because I don't have time to read it at school where there's internet so I read later and my uncle even asked me what the hell was wrong with me when I started laughing. I told him something about clowns but he didn't buy it.**

**I also wanted to recommend you some books that are awesome!**

**The Argenau Vampire Series by Linsay Sands. **

**The Others series by Cristine Warren**

**The Forest Of Hands and Teeth and the second book: The Dead-Tossed Waves by Carrie Ryan**

**The Midnight Breed series by Lara Adrian (I barely started reading these ones but so far I like it)**

**Fallen by Lauren Kate (I didn't like it that much but I think that you guys might enjoy it)**

**The House of Night Series by P.C Cast **

**Vampirates by Justin Somper (I haven't read this one but a friend of my friend's said it was good)**

**Heart at stake Series by Kerrelyn sparks**

**Sea change (I don't remember the name of the author but it's about this girl who went to an island and fell in love with a guy that she though was a mermen)**

**The hunger Games by Suzanne Collins**

**Vampire kisses by Ellen… I don't know what.**

**The host by Stephanie Meyer**

**Bloodtide by Melvin... something**

**Other Authors: Pamela Palmer, Jaime Rush**

**All of this are Vampire books but they're for Adults and let me tell you that they give you too much… details on what happens between them.**

**You should also read the book Bitten by Cupid, it has a short story from the Argenau series.**

**I'll update as soon as I get a bunch of reviews in this story.**


	2. Chapter 2

"Rose!" He said relieved and then his arms were around me in a tight hug.

"Adrian" I was relived to see him too because this meant that either he already knew about what happened in Russia or he was just visiting and he could tell Dimitri that I was as fine as I could be with Strigoi.

"Where are you? What exactly happened? Rose we're so worried about you. Dimitri even called me practically begging me for help because you were taken by Strigoi." Adrian was practically babbling and it wasn't exactly helping me so I punched him square on his jaw and he stopped talking. His head snapped sideways but I knew that he probably hadn't even felt it.

"I'm sorry but I had to do that, you wouldn't shut up" I explained and he smiled. I'm never going to understand him I mean I just punched him and even though it didn't hurt he shouldn't be smiling.

"That's my Rose" He said and hugged me again. This was getting too cheesy.

"Ok, ok. But tell me how's Dimitri? Is he ok?" I asked very concerned because the last time I saw him he had been fighting Strigoi.

Adrian looked down and I knew something was very wrong. Adrian normally wouldn't even give a damn about Dimitri but even he had a heart and he also knew how much I loved Dimitri.

"Look at me and tell me what happened to Dimitri!"I shouted and he looked at me, his expression was unreadable but I still knew him very well and I also knew that he was going to lie.

"He's fine and…" I cut him off.

"I'm not an idiot, tell me the truth" I said through gritted teeth, I was starting to lose control of my anger and that wasn't a good thing for the baby. My anger issues had been another reason why Dimitri wanted me to be with his family. He knew that I would be happy there and that I wouldn't throw a tantrum as often as I'd probably would do at court or some place else.

"Fine." He said resigned. "As soon as he called me I was on my way but there was something in his voice that scared the hell out of me and Tasha. I haven't seen him yet because right now I'm on a private jet flying to Siberia but I'm pretty sure that he must be a mess." Those words shattered my world because Dimitri, my good and loving Dimitri was suffering because of me.

The pain inside my chest was unbearable, something close to what I felt when Dimitri stayed behind at the cave and I was forced to leave him behind but this time I could do something to help him but at the same I couldn't.

I could keep me and the baby alive for as long as the Strigoi doesn't decides to kill me or awaken me but nothing more.

Nonetheless Dimitri was suffering and it was my entire fault.

"Can you tell him that I'm fine and that I love him? Can you do that?" I asked on the verge of tears. Adrian pulled me into his arms for a hug. I didn't protest like I would have done if things weren't like this. It actually felt good to be hugged and to know that Adrian was my friend.

"Yes, I'll tell him" He said softly as he rubbed my back, the gesture felt good and for a second I was even able to imagine him being Dimitri. "But I still have to ask this. Do you have any idea where you are? Has the Strigoi said anything that might help us find you?" It was a stupid question but I didn't say anything. I pulled away and sat on a bench nearby then I started to rub my belly.

Adrian sat beside me.

"No. I have no idea where I might be but Strigoi said that I was very important to someone they despise very much" I didn't tell him the part where he was planning to make me Strigoi because Adrian might go to Dimitri and tell him this. Then Dimitri would get worried and I didn't want that, I didn't want anybody else to get worried.

"You think he was talking about Dimitri? I mean Dimitri has a reputation not just among Moroi and Damphir but also among Strigoi as a very good Guardian." I shook my head.

"I don't know but you also know that it's not just Dimitri who has a reputation. My Mother is also we known among Strigoi. We have so many enemies that is hard to know who he was talking about but he definitely mentioned a Galina." I sighed and looked up to see Adrian looking at me, not at me but at my neck. The look of horror in his eyes told me that he had seen the marks of fangs on my neck.

"You've been bitten" He said, horror all over his face and I flinched because I knew what he was thinking.

"Yes, but he said that if I didn't let him he'd kill the baby. I had no option and I can't even think about fighting him like this" I gestured towards my big belly.

As if seeing it for the first time his eyes widened in shock when he saw my big belly. Seriously how could he have missed something like that?

"You're… big" He said hesitantly and I smiled.

"Yes, but promise me that you won't tell Dimitri anything about this" I pointed at my neck. "He must already be worried and blaming himself or something so please don't tell him. Just tell him that I'm fine for now." I was babbling now.

"Rose…" He began but I shook my head.

"Promise me" He looked at me for a couple of seconds and then nodded.

"But I can't keep something like this from your Mother… she'll kill me after Dimitri beats me up" He was trying to make a joke but I didn't even cracked a smile because the mention of my Mother was enough to make me feel gloomier.

"My Mom knows about it? Who the hell called her?" I was getting mad because I never thought someone could be so stupid to call her. Whoever gave her the news is in danger of getting killed just as much as Dimitri is right now because my Mother never approved of us and this just gave her the right reason to attack Dimitri.

Adrian flinched a little at my outburst.

"Lissa" He said slowly. "She called her as soon as she heard the news from me. Dimitri called me and asked me to go to Siberia and to call Lissa. I did and Lissa said that she was coming too but that she was going to call your Mother. I tried to reason with her but she had talked to your Mother and apparently they've become sort of friends." I gaped at him.

That news was something that I would have never expected to hear. I mean Lissa and my Mother getting along? Its not that they've never got along because they've barely talked to each other but going as far as being sort of friends? That was something that I certainly didn't like.

"Great. That's just awesome." I murmured. "Something else?"

"Well I heard that your mother is bringing some Abe Mazur with her but I don't know who that is. As soon as Tasha heard his name she looked concerned though" That name rang a bell but I couldn't exactly remember him. Have I met him or heard about him? Maybe, but I didn't remember.

Maybe it's a Guardian and my Mother brought him with her so he can help her to kill Dimitri. That's most likely that reason why she'd bring a stranger into the family business.

"He's Moroi" Adrian added and I turned to see him.

Was he kidding? I mean my Mother would never bring a Moroi into Danger. That goes against everything she believes in, maybe that's her charge now and she had to bring him.

"A Moroi, Why is she bringing him?" He shrugged not giving it much thought.

"I don't know but there must be a good reason for it. Lissa said that he was very important but I don't know why." Adrian explanation was only making me more curious. Mazur was certainly not a Royal name.

"Adrian please tell me what you know about him next time you visit… You will visit again right?" I had to ask because I needed to be sure and clung to something.

"Of course. I'm pretty sure that Dimitri will have me drugged just so I'll be able to make sure you're all right." His joke made me smile a little because Dimitri might do something like that.

"But you have Tasha now, I'm sure she'll give Dimitri her support." Tasha had once been some sort of Girlfriend of Dimitri's but he never really felt something towards her, not as strong as our love anyways but I'd always known that if he hadn't met me he would have ended up with her. Adrian's expression changed at the mention of Tasha and I got the impression that something might be going on between those two but I decided not to push it.

Now the thought of her consoling Dimitri made me feel relieved and at the same time jealous.

"I sure hope so because I don't want to have to face him like this. Rose I know that the cradle robber loves you with every fiber of his body and I'm not sure how he must be right now. Please Rose try not to let your self get killed, we all love you and don't want to have deal with the cradle robber's broken heart." He was serious but trying to lighten the mood by using his other stupid nickname for Dimitri.

I smiled and hugged him. His arms around me felt very good so I didn't pull away till I felt the baby protesting. Adrian must have felt her movement because he pulled away.

"She's just as jealous as her Father. Rose why didn't you found some other type of person that's not possessive?" I laughed because the baby was probably protesting because she knew that her Father wouldn't like to have us this close to Adrian.

"The baby doesn't like you" I pointed still laughing and Adrian chuckled.

"I wonder where did he got that feeling from." Said Adrian faking a thoughtful expression.

"From Dimitri of course" I answered.

I was actually feeling better with Adrian's company.

"Adrian" I said serious to get his attention. "I saw through a window that I'm in the middle of nowhere. Around the building there are only a few trees scattered but nothing more and the place must be about 4 stories high. I don't think that it'll be easy for you to find me." I said looking down and feeling very depressed. "But if I… we don't make it" I started to rub my belly. "I want you to tell Dimitri that I love him and that no matter what I'll always be his Roza" I know it sounded very cliché and all but that is how I felt.

"You'll tell him that because we'll find you Rose and please don't make me say that o him. He'll probably do something weird like look at me like he looks at you" This time I didn't even cracked a small smile.

"Please just tell him that, ok? I need him to know that I love him" He nodded again and I know that I made him promise me that earlier but I just needed to make sure he wouldn't forget.

Suddenly everything started to blur and Adrian's face was going out of focus I took his hand in mine clutching it with all my might and he looked sorrowfully at me.

"You're waking up Rose. I'll visit later, I promise" With that promise and what looked like a reassuring smile, he and the beautiful garden disappeared leaving me feeling miserable and afraid of what might happen as soon as I wake up.

When I opened my eyes the first thing I saw was the pale face of a woman with dark eyes ringed in red. She was a Strigoi obviously and she had her hand on my mouth and with her other hand on my belly she had pinned to the bed.

Why did everyone have to touch my belly?

I was angry and scared at the same time when she just stood there watching me. Her gaze almost hurt me and I had the feeling that this was the Galina that the other Strigoi had been talking about.

"Are you sure this is the one? She doesn't look like she could kill a fly." Galina's stupid comment made me mad but I didn't try anything afraid that she might lose her patience and decide to kill me or awaken me.

"I'm sure, she was with him and he almost died trying to get her back." I looked over to see the other Strigoi.

He was leaning against the wall, arms crossed over his chest looking very scary.

"Great but this little whore's," I could barely contain my self, she just called me a whore! I wanted to kick her or punch herm anything but I had to keep in mind that she'd probably kick me back and that was no good. "baby can't be his. Damphirs can't have children with other Damphirs." She finally released me and stepped back.

I sat up on the bed and took a deep breath.

"I don't know" The other Strigoi said and Galina looked at me in the eyes.

"Who's baby is it? I don't think that Dimitri would have wanted to be a Father to a child that's not his" My blood was boiling just to hear that.

"This is Dimitri's baby!" I snapped and she got annoyed.

"Really? Please, you can't fool me." I wanted to say more but then I felt my baby moving inside me telling me to calm down and I had to suppress a smile. She was so much like her Father. "There's no way Damphirs can have babies with Damphirs. If that were true I don't think that they'd still be Guarding the Moroi. Besides I was one of you." She was right, not all Damphirs can have babies with other Damphirs. That was just me because I'm shadow kissed.

When I didn't say anything and just glared at her she really got mad and she grabbed me by the arm and made me stand up. I had to do it because she was practically dragging me out of the bed and I didn't want to risk falling down and hurting the baby.

"They say she's special and I think she can lead us to the Dragomir girl." I looked at the Strigoi sharply for even mentioning Lissa. He knew about our bond, maybe not exactly how but he knew something and that wasn't good because threatening my baby and I'd do anything.

"Really? That's something good but I don't really give a damn about the Dragomir girl right now. I want to have him and maybe her if she turns out to be worth it." I looked at her with disgust.

For what she was saying I realized that she was talking about Dimitri. She wanted him, she wanted to make him and me Strigoi. Just the thought of seeing my Dimitri pale, with a ring of red around his pupils and soulless made me feel terrible.

"Dimitri will never join you!" I hissed with my most bitchy voice but I did it without thinking and Galina turned to glare at me. Fangs exposed and growled, she pushed me against a wall. I practically saw stars as soon as I collided with the wall with a loud thud and felt pain from my belly. This pain wasn't that bad but it still made me want to curl up into a ball and wrap my arms around my self.

The baby protested and she started to kick more.

"Don't talk to me like that!" She snarled in front of my face and fear overpowered me. "You are inferior to me and if I say that Dimitri will join me then he will and you can't do anything about it. He's the best guardian yet and he'll be a remarkable Strigoi." The venom gripping from her voice and malevolent glare was enough to scare the shit out of me but what really made me want to be able to defend my self was when she bit my neck, hard.

She didn't only want to take blood, she wanted to make me suffer but it quickly went away when I passed out from blood loss. I passed out very high because of the endorphins from her saliva.


	3. Chapter 3

**DPOV**

Since they brought me home I haven't thought about anything else but about my Roza. My grandmother told Viktoria to go looking for me and when she found me looking through the forest for my Roza I nearly started to throw punches at her. That's how desperate and anxious I was for finding my Roza. I knew she wasn't there anymore but I couldn't give up that easily.

After the Strigoi's bite it took me a while to get a grip on my self and be able to run for my Roza. I had been so weak and stupid that even my sister was able to take me down and bring me back home. At some point after I got home and my Mother took care of my wound in my shoulder and broken ribs I must have passed out.

When I regained consciousness I called Adrian. Before this he would have been the last person I'd want to see or talk to but I knew that he was able to get into Roza's dreams and I needed to know she was ok. The idiot hasn't call yet and I was going crazy to know where she is and if she's alright.

I'm more than sure that Adrian called Lissa, Lissa must have called Roza's mother and in less than a day I'll be dead. I want to thank God if that happens because that'll be the only way I'll be able to get rid of this pain in my chest. This clenching feeling in my chest that makes it hard for me to breath.

"Dimka… you have to eat something." Said Viktoria coming into my room with a tray of food. The smell of it disgusted me even though my stomach was practically begging me for it. Without Roza nothing appealed to me anymore and just the thought of those Strigoi having her and probably drinking from her was even more sickening. Roza was strong and I knew that but with the pregnancy she wouldn't be able to do anything without endangering the baby's life.

The baby.

"Dimka" She repeated in a small voice but I couldn't have cared less at that moment.

I stared at nothing in particular and I was clutching to my chest Roza's pillow, inhaling her scent and wishing she were here with me, safe. Her absence was consuming me bit by bit and was driving me crazy.

"I'm getting tired of your silence!" Her voice didn't do more than make me sigh at her intrusion. "The only thing you've done so far is nothing. Roza's alive Dimitri, and she wouldn't like it that you're here like a Zombie." She sat next to me putting her hand on my cheek and made me look at her.

I stared through her not at her, not really seeing her but trying to picture Roza in her place.

"Adrian called," she began and that caught my attention. I started to focus on her. "He said that the plain landed and that he'd be here in a couple of minutes. He also said that Lissa and Guardian Hathaway was with them. He mentioned someone else, his name is Abe Mazur" She definitely had my attention.

Ade Mazur was a well known Moroi, not Royal obviously but I didn't really know what kind of business he was into. Though I do know that it was illegal but he's never been caught. What would he be doing with Guardian Hathaway? Maybe she contacted him to do the dirty job of killing me for her. That woman won't bite her tongue, I'm sure that as soon as she gets here and sees me she'll try to kill me and I won't stop her.

Without Roza I don't care about anything, I'll even be grateful if she kills me.

"What are they doing here?" My voice was empty and it sounded far away even to my ears was a strange noise.

"Adrian told them to come to help looking for Roza" Viktoria explained carefully probably waiting for me to explode or something. I didn't.

"Perfect" I mean it because I still had hopes to find her, I know her too well to give up this easily. She'd definitely do anything to keep herself alive.

I stood up leaving the pillow and my pain to go get dressed. Viktoria stood up and closed the door behind her. I pulled on the first thing I found and put them on without even glancing at the mirror. It hurted me like hell moving because the stitches on my shoulder where the Strigoi had bitten me left me a pretty bad injury. Not to mention the broken ribs. I flinched the whole time.

On the living room my Mother was talking to my Grandmother, she had tears in her eyes. Yeva looked… smug. I clenched my fists at my sides but decided to let it go. Viktoria was talking to Karolina and had Paul on her lap. Paul had tears in his eyes and Sonya was trying to calm him down a bit. The memory of Roza laughing and hugging him just a couple of days ago almost made me smile but the smile disappeared.

Sonya had tried to console me earlier but I shut her down. I didn't want anybody's pity.

I started pacing back and forth waiting for Adrian and the others to arrive. I hoped that Adrian would able to reach her and had good news. I felt a headache starting to form inside my skull and I had to massage my temples for a piece of mind. I felt so impotent and this feeling of helplessness was driving me crazy.

I had promised her that I'll always be there for her and I failed her, I broke my promise. If it hadn't been because of me she'd be here right now with me and our baby would be safe. If something happened to her I would never forgive my self.

"They're here" Yeva announced and then we heard a knock on the door.

Before anyone could react I was already opening the door.

As soon as I opened the door I saw Guardian Hathaway with another guy that I supposed was Abe Mazur standing there and behind them Adrian, Tasha, Lissa and Christian were standing looking very worried. Lissa looked like she had been crying and hadn't been able to get some sleep. Under her eyes were shadows that confirmed my theory of the lack of sleep.

I must have looked very much like her.

Behind all of them many guardian were patrolling around the house. It was obvious that they wouldn't let them come unguarded.

"Guardian Hathaway…" I began but she cut me off by striking me with her fist square on the jaw making me stumble backwards. I nearly fell to the floor but I managed to get a grip on my self.

For a small person she could definitely throw a punch, she didn't earn her reputation for nothing. She didn't let me say anything else after that. She threw herself at me with her full force. I barely managed to duck but she saw me changing my position and followed me. The impact of her kick to my ribs made me flinch and I hissed out a breath. The pain shot through me and made me act upon fury. When I tried to kick her back she caught my leg and twisted to one side. I knew better and let my self fell because otherwise she would have broken my ankle.

I wasn't capable to defend my self right now and even if I had been I probably wouldn't have because I felt like shit for putting Roza in danger. I went limb when she started punching me and I actually didn't felt most of them, except the ones that landed on my stomach.

"Stop it!" I heard someone shout but I was far away and didn't really care who said it.

"Janine stop it. We're here to look for her not to kill him. Yet." That made Janine stop and she got up from me.

"I told her not to come. This is your entire fault!" The hatred and truth in her voice made me wince.

If she had called me names in all the languages she could think of I wouldn't have minded but telling me that it was my entire fault was more painful than any punch I've ever felt. I shouldn't have brought her here. I should have gone with her to court and keep my job as Guardian.

"I…" Didn't know what to say.

Lissa was crying, Adrian looked mad-literally- and Tasha looked sad. Christian's expression was sad. He was trying to calm Lissa down but he looked like he needed some help too.

Viktoria was yelling at Janine for attacking me in my own house. She was yelling in English and Russian at the same time and even slapped Janine. Janine's head snapped sideways after I heard the smacking sound and I wanted to tell Viktoria to calm down but I couldn't find my voice.

Fortunately Karolina took her away. Janine only looked surprised for what Viktoria did but not angry. Sonya went after my other sisters but my mother and Yeva decided to stay. I didn't see Paul so I realized that he had probably gone after his Mother.

I turned my attention to Adrian and took some steps close to him. I walked clutching my sides and it took me all my will power to not let my self fall to the floor.

"Is she ok? Where is she? How is she?" I asked frantically and to my own luck Adrian didn't say anything stupid that might tempt me to punch him. He was sober for the first time since I met him and I was grateful for it because then it will be easier for him to reach her.

"She's fine… for now. But she doesn't know where she is, she said something about an isolated place and that they kidnapped her because they wanted to make someone suffer her loss." He said seriously and the look of pain and sadness in his eyes made me want to punch my self.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw a tear run down my Mother's face.

"Did she told you a name, who the Strigoi hate that much?" My voice sounded strange even to me and they seemed to notice it because they all looked wary. I couldn't blame them because I probably looked like a madman and the fact that I haven't been able to get some sleep since Roza was taken away from me probably didn't help at all.

"Galina, she said that this Strigoi was working for someone called Galina. I asked them," He gestured towards the others, "and they all said that they don't know her. You are the only one left to ask. Do you know her?" My world shattered all around me and I felt my heart skip a beat.

Of course I know her and if she had Roza…

I nodded slowly and I could see my Mother and Yeva stare at me in horror. I knew they remembered her. She had been my mentor when I was still training and I learned everything from her. Fighting against her will be like fighting against me but at least ten times better. I had no chance against her when I was at school much less now that she was Strigoi.

Tasha's face drained of color, I think that now she was remembering.

"Her? Are you sure?" the fear in her voice was obvious and it mirrored mine.

But why would Galina want to take revenge against me if I didn't do anything to her? I didn't even realize she was turned till about a year ago. How could she know about Roza and me?

"You know her?" Adrian asked confused. Tasha nodded, she never let go of Adrian's hand however and neither did he. He seemed to need the support though and that made me wonder the reason why he was helping. If it was because he still had a thing for her that was more than friendship then that was problem but if it was just because he wanted her as a friend it was ok with me. I couldn't get mad at the guy because he was helping right now.

"Now I remember but I think Dimitri is the one that should explain everything." I nodded and gestured them to take a seat in the living room.

"What the hell is going on Belikov? Who is this Galina and why does she has my daughter" Now she called her daughter, now after she almost killed the baby.

I stood up with my fists clenched at my sides and panting with fury.

"Now you call her daughter don't you? You almost killed the baby after she told you she was leaving with me, you didn't even try to talk to her and apologize!"I tried to calm down my self but it was useless because the anger that had been building inside me for the past two days wanted to get out of my system.

"I didn't know she was pregnant! And what would you have done if your sister tells you that she's going to run away with her mentor that's 7 years older than her? Would you have let her do that?" I was about to answer with a yes but I thought about it and kept my mouth shut. My silence made her smile and that smile made me uneasy.

"I knew it. You wouldn't allow it" She said sounding pleased with her self.

"I wouldn't have allowed it before I met Roza but after meeting her and falling in love with her now I have a new perspective of life. If love is involved then I'm nobody to stop anyone from being happy." I snapped back. "But you wouldn't know about it because you've never been in love" I laughed humorlessly remembering what Roza had said before about her mother and at that moment it had sounded childish to me, now saying it made so much sense, and then the Moroi stepped between us.

"Shut up Belikov!" Janine hissed through gritted teeth taking a step closer to me.

"Janine please" Mazur said calmly but it rang with authority. He placed his hand on Janine's back and she seemed to calm down a bit.

"Dimitri what can we do to help" Lissa asked in a small voice and I turned my attention to her.

"For now you can't do anything. I'll have to go get some maps and try to find a place that fits Roza's description." I tried to sound calm and polite but it was more of a growl. Lissa looked scared of me and that wasn't good.

My Grandma brought me a map and pointed at one region that was a couple of miles away from here, actually hours away from here. I looked at her wide-eyed not wanting to believe the truth. The place was one of those that it was almost isolated and more important many Strigoi had been spotted there. That place could be called their base.

"I had a dream but I wasn't sure till now that that Moroi said what Roza saw" Yeva said in Russian and I swore under my breath.

It was a suicide mission to even think about going there. We'd probably need at least 40 Guardians to be able to go there and have at least a small advantage over them, the surprise.

But for my Roza I'd do anything.

"Are you sure? The place might be infested with Strigoi and I can't risk just going…" She cut me off by scowling.

"Of course I'm sure Dimka and you better hurry to get all this ready because after that dream I had another one about you." Her voice was utterly serious and I almost saw a glint of fear and sadness in her eyes. I've never really seen her emotional. My heart rate sped up. "You were alone" She saw me alone without my Roza. That wasn't an option in this case. Roza had to survive and raise our daughter even if it means that it would cost me my life. I can't stand the thought of losing her or my daughter, both of them have become my life and without them I'm not sure I'll survive.

"What did she say?" Janine asked looking between my grandmother and me. Yeva looked at her sharply and walked away not giving her any explanations.

"Dimitri please tell us, I'm very worried about Rose" Lissa pleaded me and I saw sadness and fear in her green eyes. She was Roza's best friend and also shared a bond with her, right now I felt like she was the only person connecting me to her.

"My grandmother knows where she is. Please don't ask questions and Adrian help me contact someone who can send at least 30 or 40 Guardians to us right now." The look of shock in the eyes of all of them was understandable because if we needed that many Guardians than they knew what we were up against.

"How many?" Tasha asked in a small voice and I turned to her. I had almost forgotten she was here.

"I'm not sure but I think that at least 30. That place is more of a fort. Galina lives there and for that reason she must have at least that many Strigoi with her." Tasha nodded and Adrian took out his cell phone.

"I have the Guardians covered" The Moroi said and I glared at him.

I wasn't happy with a Moroi here, much less because he was here with Janine. But something in him was familiar I don't know what but I felt like I've met him before even though I've never done anything illegal my self. I mean just hearing about someone didn't mean you already know him but I had that feeling.

"Why the hell do you care? You're just another stupid selfish Moroi!" I snarled losing my patience.

He didn't even blink when I talked to him in that disrespectful way. I had been expecting him to at least flinch but instead his face hardened and he pursed his lips.

"Watch your language Damphir" He warned and I let out a humorless laugh. Adrian was looking at me strangely not really staring at me but something in me. At that moment I couldn't have cared less what that idiot was doing because my attention was focused on the Moroi. "I only came here to get my daughter back and to make sure that she goes back to America with her Mother" I opened my mouth to start yelling at him again but I caught my self and let the words sink in. He said his daughter… Roza.

He just said that Roza was his daughter. I looked at him from head to toes and realized the reason why he looked so familiar. The hair and dark skin were almost identical to Roza's. His attitude and the way he looked at me, fearless, were very similar at how Roza reacted at me when we first met. She hadn't been afraid of me when I was mad at her and always said whatever she wanted. Her boldness had been what made me fall in love not to mention her beauty and cleverness.

This Moroi was Roza's father and I was being impolite to him.

"You… You're her Father?" I asked stupidly as if it weren't obvious but I had to make sure.

"Yes," He replied harshly.

**I know I haven't updated in the past two days I think but here it is the third chapter.**

**Please leave me more reviews so I can know if you like it or not and please go and see my other story. Its called lovely rose with thorns and also leave reviews. Hope to be able to update sooner, well that if you leve me enough reviews.**

**Tell me about some books that you have read and that are good.**

**Disclaimer**

**_Dimitri:The characters from this story don't belong to the amazing Gen, only the plot. Right my Roza?_**

**_Rose:Yes, but please try to find me as soon as possible. _**

**_Gen: I'll do whatever I can to make Dimitri find you, don't worry! But if people don't review... -Dimitri sighs relieved and then looks desperate..-_**

**_Dimitri:Please review so she won't decide to do something drastic-Hugs Rose very closely to him and looks at you people with puppy dog eyes-_**

_I know this is kind of lame but I hope you get the messege._


	4. Chapter 4

**RPOV**

The next couple of days passed very slowly. I lost track of time because of the regular bites of the Strigoi. Galina seemed to have some sort of taste for my blood or it might only be the fact that she enjoyed seeing me pleading her not to do it again because of my baby's safety.

The effect of the bites didn't keep Adrian out of my dreams but every time he visited me I'd be high and not thinking coherently, the only thing I could say was that I was fine and that if he could please tell Dimitri how much I loved him. So I'm sure that he couldn't understand me that much because I was in a dazed state where everything was awesome except for the kicking inside my belly.

Those movements were the only ones that kept me sane when I was high. The feeling of my daughter inside me reminded me of Dimitri's love for me, how he'd never give up on looking for me. I knew he'd find me but I was getting very nervous thinking what could be taking him so long.

If they make me Strigoi then Dimitri will have to kill me and that will break his heart. Besides they might even kill my baby, I couldn't allow either of them so I had to do something.

It took me a great deal of strength to even get up because by now my belly was slightly bigger but I was getting thinner and weaker for the loss of blood. If I wasn't wrong dusk was still a couple of hours away and that gave me some time to clear my head and wait for the right opportunity to attack the human girl that usually comes here before Galina or the other Strigoi come. The human girl should be here at any moment bringing me food and trying to make me comfortable.

She didn't speak English but she was smart. I already had my plan planned so if she came like she always did then I think that I'll be able to make her talk, or rather just put the numbers in the pad.

I walked over close to the door and grabbed the empty tray of food that was there and waited patiently for her to come. I'll have to be careful though if I want to leave her conscious which I think I won't have a problem with that because I'm very weak right now and my blow to her head won't be very powerful.

The baby was kicking my insides and it was getting very painful. I had to let go of the tray and stand back from the door so I could clutch my belly. The spasms of pain that were threatening to rip me in two were so strong that I had to go back to my bed. Slowly I walked back to the bed gripping whatever I could so I wouldn't fall and make things worse. As I lay there on my side clutching my stomach the only thing that I could do was pray so my baby wouldn't die. I loved my baby and I was sure that Dimitri would be devastated if something happens to either of us. I've never really been the religious kind but I hoped that maybe God would have mercy and at least save my baby.

The pain was intense and it had me panting and I could barely breathe. I was sure that I wasn't having the baby yet because first I was only about six months and a half, second because my water wasn't broken and because this pain was similar to the one I felt when my Mother shoved me against the wall. I was probably having an abortion. This was just as bad as being shoved against the wall.

That was probably the reason why I was doubling over with pain. I panicked when the thought came to my mind. There were no Doctor anywhere near here and I really doubt that Galina or the other Strigoi will bother calling a Doctor. I wanted to be able to get up and do something to get out of this place so I could go back to Dimitri's arms. Feel his warm body pressed against mine like when we were at the park or at his house and we made love on his bed. I wanted to feel his skin against mine, his warmth making me desire him more. I miss his touches and caresses. The way he used to look at me with his brown eyes filled with love and lust every time we touched.

Suddenly I heard the door open but I was too busy trying to ignore the pain to really care about anything else. I clenched my teeth together to keep my self from making any sound.

I could hear Galina coming in, her steps were easy to recognize because she walked like she was the Queen of England, with a confidence and gracefulness that made me remember Dimitri. Though Dimitri didn't have red eyes, pale skin or the same malevolence in his eyes that was bloodcurdling. A chill ran down my spine when Galina came in and rolled me so I was on my back. I panicked when she put her hand on my belly. I tried to make her get away from me but of course she was stronger.

What if she decides to kill me or my baby right now?

"Leave me alone!" I shouted with a shaky voice Galina laughed, a chilling, cold laugh that scared me even more.

"Hey I was coming to check on you and take my sip. It seems like someone is going to lose her baby" She sang and chuckled as if this was very funny. "And it won't even be my fault!"

"Please help me," I pleaded as if there was any chance she will and that was making me feel like a complete idiot not being able to do what I was trained for. Dimitri would be so disappointed in me if he could see me pleading for my life when I should be fighting for it. But the baby… "I don't want to lose my baby, please just let me go" She shook her head and smiled at me showing me her fangs.

"I'm not God to save that thing and I certainly won't let you go. I've been waiting patiently for Dimitri to find you and now that he's here then I think that I should do this quickly" She got closer to me and she tilted my head to one side exposing my neck. "Dimitri will be a good Strigoi you know? It's a shame you won't be here to see his awakening."

I tried to fight her off but I was too weak to do more than hit her with my fists like a little girl. My baby kicked me hard and I screamed. The last coherent thought was Dimitri. He was already here and will save us.

**I know this is short but I'm going to put some more POV by different people so you know how the rescue was from everyone's point of view. Please leave me more reviews and check out my other story, please also review and tell me if you like it. If you read my other story don't forget to vote in my poll about the story.**

**Please tell me the tittles of the books that you like the most.**

**Thinking about posting a new story about Vampires, my own plot and characters, and I was wondering if you'd like to read it. I put a small summary in Chapter five of Love Rose with Thorns, please tell me what you think of it and tell me if you are interested.**


	5. Chapter 5

**DPOV**

"I'm coming with you" Viktoria said firmly as the Guardians that Abe brought and I were getting ready to board the car and be on our way to attack the house where we thought Roza was. It was still day time and we had about 4 hours before dusk. They wouldn't notice us till it was too late and hopefully everything would be all right.

I turned around and faced my sister. She was wearing jeans and a black T-shirt, her hair was up and she was wearing normal boots. She had the same look on her face that I usually put on when I'm utterly serious about something. But I wasn't going to let her put herself at risk like this. She's my little sister and I didn't want her to get hurt.

"No" I said as firmly and started walking towards the van again. She stopped me by grabbing me by the arm making me stop.

"I have to go Dimitri" She only called me Dimitri when she's had had enough. "Roza is like a sister to me and I love her as much as you do" that was not possible because my love for Roza is just too big and too much that it hurts but I didn't doubt that Viktoria loved Roza. But I still wasn't going to let her go.

"I don't doubt it but you still can't go. Roza could be…" I couldn't finish the sentence because it made my heart skip a beat. "She could not be in her right mind, besides there might be too many Strigoi for us and I don't want to risk your life." Viktoria's face darkened and she looked older. The determination in her eyes was making it much harder.

"You won't be risking my life, Dimitri I can defend my self and you know very well how good I am fighting." Her reasoning was very true. I had seen her fighting playfully with Kolya and I knew how capable of fighting she was. But I was still worried because not thinking had already cost me my Roza. If I had started to carry with me the stake after the first attack then I would have been able to save her but I didn't.

"No" I repeated again and started walking towards the van again. I thought that she had given up but I was very wrong. She came up running to me and stood in front of me.

"Roza needs me," She was right, Roza will need all the help we can get.

"Fine but you'll be at the back and won't do anything stupid, understand?" She nodded sharply and we both got into the van.

Viktoria, I and about 15 Guardians were riding the same van with us. Janine was seating at the back looking out the window with a thoughtful look. I couldn't help but think that maybe she did had a heart after all. I mean, she got pretty mad at me when she realized that her daughter was missing but I still couldn't forgive her for what she did to Roza. She almost lost the baby.

The anger and regret that I felt inside my chest for putting Roza in danger was just too much and just the thought of getting to that house and find my Roza dead or Strigoi made my chest tighten. If something happened to her, anything, I wouldn't be able to forgive my self.

The ride to the country was very long and I was getting irritated for how long it was taking us to get there. The long it took us, the longer she spent there and something could happen to her. Galina could get tired of having her soon and if she lost her patience then she could hurt Roza.

I had to admit that I was afraid of facing Galina, she taught me everything I knew and she knew all of my moves. She could easy overpower me when I was a student and I was never really able to take her down. That was when she still was a Damphir; now that she's Strigoi it will be harder, maybe impossible.

But I wondered what Galina wanted me for. Adrian said that she wanted me to be at her side. That could only mean one thing: she wanted me to become Strigoi. Well I was not willing to become one now that I found Roza; actually I've never been interested at all. Galina could be hurting Roza right now and I was here doing nothing.

I also felt some jealousy every time Adrian talked to Roza. He did delivered her messages by telling me that Roza loved me. Every time I heard him say that, I felt my heart swell with joy but it will quickly go away when I remembered why Roza couldn't say it to me.

The last two weeks had been like hell without Roza. We left the academy and I resigned to be a Guardian because we didn't want to have to go through something like this anymore. When I was in coma I had been able to hear what was going on around me and I thought I knew how it had been for her to see me like that but I had been wrong. I didn't understand at all, I heard her talk about it but I never really understood, till now.

Now that she's not with me and I didn't know if she was alright I think that I was more capable of understanding what she went through. I could feel the tightening pain, God she must have gone through something like that and just the thought made the hair on arms stand up and a chill run down my spine.

"We're here" The Guardian by my side that was driving said.

I looked around and spotted the house a couple of feet away. It was huge, and it looked more like a business building than a house. Galina definitely didn't want anybody to get in or out because the windows were tainted black.

"Ok I need 25 guards coming in with me and the rest of you surround the house for any Strigoi. Its still day light so I think that they won't get out but I still need you here and wait for my signal to come in and help." Everyone nodded at my orders except my sister. I looked at her sharply. "You stay here and wait for orders!" I barked and she only looked more stubborn. The look in her eyes reminded me too much of Roza when she was determined to do something.

"No, I'm coming in with you" she answered with a patience that made me angrier and concerned for her. Had bringing her here been really a mistake and I was only risking her life?

"I knew I shouldn't have brought you here!" I said exasperated and ran a hand through my hair. "You are just as stubborn. Viktoria can't you understand that I don't want to risk your life? I thought that you, better than anyone, would understand…" I was abruptly cut off by someone slapping my arm hard. I turned and saw the small form of Janine Hathaway looking up at me, her anger was very obvious.

"We don't have time for you Family drama Guardian Belikov. My daughter could be injured inside and I don't want to wait anymore so I suggest you hurry up with this business," She looked at Viktoria with a hard face. "And go inside or I'll lead the rescue team." I stared at her despicably but she didn't seem to care.

"You're staying here and wait for instructions to come in" I said harshly and turned to the other Guardians. "Let's go!"And then walked toward the house, the hair on my arms stood up and then I was ambushed by at least a dozen of Strigoi.

**VPOV**

As I watched my brother walk into that place I felt a stinging pain in my chest. This was no good. Grandma said that something was wrong with this mission and that we should be careful. I couldn't let anything happen to him or Roza and that's why I insisted so much in coming.

I knew that he was in this mood because he cared for me and was worried that something was going to happen to me but Grandma warned him not me. So I knew that I'll be fine.

Only twenty five Guardians were going in and the rest of us were supposed to wait here for orders but I wasn't planning on staying here waiting because Dimka could need me inside.

Roza was inside and she was like a sister to me event though we've only known each other a couple of months. Every time that Adrian guy said that she was ok I felt relieved and I could see the same effect on Dimka though it wouldn't last long because then Dimka's reaction would change and he'd look at Adrian with anger and hatred in his eyes. Well maybe not hatred but Dimka definitely didn't like Adrian. When I asked Dimka about it he only shook his head and said nothing.

Lissa and Christian were very nice to us actually. They seemed to be in love just like Dimka and Roza and the thought of not seeing Roza again broke my heart. I found out that Dimka disliked Adrian because Adrian used to flirt a lot with Roza and it was mere jealousy between those two. But it was hard to believe that someone like Adrian would be a flirt. The Moroi looked very tired and there were dark rings under his eyes even though he tried to spend as much time with Roza as he could. His friend, or rather Girlfriend, Tasha was also very nice but I didn't like the fact that she was the only one that could calm Dimka down in one of those tantrums that he'd throw every time that Adrian wouldn't come up with something new besides the obvious. Lissa tried many times to do the same thing Adrian could do and see Roza but she still wasn't able to and somehow Tasha always ended up consoling her, or maybe Christian would start trying to calm her.

My Mother and sisters had also been very worried about Roza but I just couldn't believe that Janine Hathaway came claiming that she was worried about her daughter. Dimka explained to me what happened with Roza and her Mother and I couldn't believe it. I mean Dimka is hardly the kind of person that dislikes someone because he's the nicest man walking the Earth but I didn't blame him for not liking that bitch. She looked at me like I was some kind of blood whore and I didn't lik eit one bit. What kind of person does something like that?

The smart girl that I am I was able to go after them without anybody else saying anything. Dimka gave me one of his stakes so I was armed and ready to fight at any moment. Though it wasn't necessary till we crossed the threshold of the house and we were ambushed by at least a dozen of Strigoi looking deadly and hungry.

**I know this isn't long but let me explain why before you start complaining. My computer at home died, well not exactly because is not the first time, The bitch of my computer likes to take vacations by turning itself off and not turning on till she wants but I'm hoping this vacations isn't her last, let's hope it isn't because then I'll have to cancel all this stories. My aunt, the wicked bitch, won't buy me another computer if the onw I have dies so please pray or hope or do whatever you want so my computer won't stay off. I'd really be very depressed because I have my songs there.**

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	6. Chapter 6

**JPOV**

Seeing Dimitri depressed was pleasing me. First because it was his fault that Rose was missing. When he explained us where he had been with Rose at the moment of the attack I was ready to rip his heart out with my bare hands. How could he have been so stupid and go into the park just before dusk? And if they had already encountered a Strigoi just a couple of days befote, then why didn't he thought of start carrying his stake? I didn't care how many times he tried to apologize, I couldn't forgive him that easily. And I knew that I was not a saint because I never spent any time with my daughter to have any saying in her life but I did love her and care for her.

I knew she thought I was some sort of monster or bad Mother for chosing my duties as Guardian instead of raising her but what was I supposed to do? Go to a blood whore community and then send Rose to the academy? I couldn't do that. I wanted to be a Guardian, that's what I was trained for, not to be a Mother. I didn't regret it though because she grew up being a good Guardian, I didn't like to think that Guardian Belikov had something to do with it. I knew that before him she was just another reckless teenager girl and that after they met she changed a lot but I still didn't like the fact that he's older than her.

He might be a saint to her but for me he's only an older man that's taking advantage of her. I just couldn't believe that those two were in love. And I do regret what happened back at the academy when I pushed Rose against the wall. I shouldn't have done that because her baby almost died. When I saw her bleeding that day and realized that she was pregnant… It was my fault that she almost lost her baby.

"_She's bleeding!" I screamed amazed at what I was seeing. Her jeans were covered in blood between her legs and I felt a stab of pain in my chest. Worry filled me and Guardian Belikov stopped as if I had just said that someone died. He stiffened and looked down at Rose. I was in front of him and I saw his eyes widen with concern and then anger flashed across his face._

"_You said you only shoved her against the wall not that you punched her!" He barked at me and I slapped him across his face leaving a red mark on his face. He looked at me with hatred. I was probably mirroring his expression towards him._

"_It was an accident I didn't mean to…" He started running towards the clinic without saying a word. I of course followed him._

I thought about all the times that I wasn't there for Rose, her birthdays and her trainings, and, as I made my way into the house where she was, I prayed to God to give me one last chance to at least say 'sorry' to her.

Walking behind Guardian Belikov was not making my dilemma easier for me but then I thanked my self for being behind him because as soon as we trespassed the threshold everywhere I looked Strigoi were around us. They attacked as soon as we were inside and helpless without the sun light to protect us from them.

The idiot of Belikov was the first being attacked. Actually he wasn't being attacked. Many Strigoi were trying to pin him to the floor and he was fighting back with blinding rage. He killed three Strigoi before I finished with mine. Then out of the corner of my eyes I saw a brown head that could only belong to one of the Belikov's and I knew that it wasn't Guardian Belikov because he was fighting at my other side.

I staked my Strigoi and killed the one that almost killed Viktoria. She had been fighting two at the same time and this tirad one came out of nowhere behind her. Viktoria finished the other two and turned to me as I was fighting with a small Strigoi.

"Thank you" she said breathlessly and then turned to go up the stairs.

"Keep her safe!" I shouted at her and she nodded.

I looked around to make sure Guardian Belikov hadn't seen his sister and would try to stop her but he wasn't fighting here anymore. I glanced back at the stairs and saw them empty. He must have gone while his sister and I were fighting the other Strigoi.

I wanted to go up and help but as I looked around I realized that we were losing the battle without Belikov so I stayed and asked for reinforcements.

**VPOV**

I was fighting two Strigoi at the same time when I felt a third one coming behind me. I was powerless against the third one because I couldn't fight them all at the same time but then I heard a gasp and I used that distraction to kill the other two. They were rather easy because they had been Moroi.

When I turned around to see who had killed the other one I expected to see a furious Dimka glaring at me, but instead I saw Janine Hathaway. She was now fighting some other Strigoi but before I made a run for the stairs I needed to thank her because I, unlike her, was raised with good manners.

"Thank you" I managed to say breathlessly and ran for the stairs. Half way up I could still hear the battle taking place and I also heard Janine's voice.

"Keep her safe!" She shouted but I didn't even glance back.

I knew I had to keep running till I found the floor were Roza said she was. I knew she was still alive and well but I didn't think that she'd remain the same for long. This place was some sort of Labyrinth, there were doors and hallways everywhere but I was able to get to the fourth floor. Fortunately I didn't have to fight that many Strigoi there, the only one that I saw was easy to take down.

When I was getting near the door of the room where Roza was in I started to have a bad feeling. Something wrong was going happen and it wouldn't be pleasant at all, it would be dreadful and someone could die. Grandma has never been wrong about anything and this feeling that I had…

I heard voices coming from the room, at least two voices. One of them sounded vey mad, it was Dimka's voice, and the other one was amused but it sounded cold and it was a woman's. At first I thought that it might be Roza but then I heard her laugh and just the sound made me shiver. That couldn't be Roza.

I walked silently to the door and when I realized that the door open I slipped inside.

A Strigoi woman was there with her back to me and she was so distracted talking to Dimitri that she didn't even notice when I came in and hid behind the wall. I waited patiently for the time when my brother would need me.

**DPOV**

I ran up the stairs as soon as I could before any other Strigoi could distract me. Running up the stairs made my heart beat faster but not because it was hard but because I was finally going to se my Roza. I was so close to her but I was also scared, scared of finding a pale, red-eyed Roza or seeing her dead. What if she lost the baby? The thought of those possibilities made me madder and miserable because it would be my fault. I couldn't stop blaming my self.

In no time I got to the fourth floor and spotted my old mentor. She was walking towards a room and when she opened it she left it open. I waited patiently a while but then I heard her talking, sounding amused, and I got worried. I heard Roza's voice and then she screamed. That sound ripped my heart in two and I went in thinking that I'd find her dead but no, she was definitely not dead.

Galina was bending down on a skinny figure that was on the bed. I recognized the girl on the bed as my Roza because of her long brown hair and her big belly. Our baby was alive, she didn't lose the baby! I was overwhelmed by joy and then I realized that if she kept drinking from her like that soon she'd die.

She must have heard me coming because when I was about to stake her she turned around and pushed me back with her hand. I flew across the room and landed on a desk. The impact almost made me see stars and I winced because my head was hurting but I got to my feet quickly and lounged at her.

I stopped my self from getting any closer because she was half carrying Roza and she had one of her hands around Roza's neck and the other one on her belly. A moan escaped from Roza's mouth and I wanted to kill Galina, to rip her heart out with my bare hands and decapitate her.

"Well, look who we have here" Galina purred amused and I tightened my grip on the stake till my knuckles were white.

"Let her go Galina!" I barked at her but my fury seemed to amuse her, she was Strigoi, I reminded my self. She wasn't my old mentor anymore. She was the enemy for more than one reason.

"I'm afraid I can't do that _Guardian Belikov. _You see I have bigger plans for you. I haven't forgotten what a great student you were and I heard about your good reputation and I want you to join me." She looked at me in the eyes and a chill ran down my spine making me shiver. Roza's head fell to one side and I saw bite marks tainting her beautiful neck, blood dripping from the wound and my fury grew to such extremes that I thought I'd explode if I didn't do something.

"I would never join you Galina. I don't want to be Strigoi and the thought used to repulse you too" Maybe if I tried to reason with her for a while she'd get distracted enough so I'd be able to attack her.

Galina just laughed.

"That's because I wasn't thinking right. I had been naïve. Dimitri you have no idea what is like to be awakened, you'll thank me later I assure you. You will see things different and you'll live forever." Like that would make me change my mind.

I laughed bitterly. "I don't care if I get to see Santa Claus, I'd rather die than become Strigoi." She didn't look pleased with my answer but then her expression changed and she laughed a cold intimidating laugh that made the hair in my arms stand up.

We started circling each other and I ended up close to the bed where she had been. That was stupid because now I didn't have anywhere to go. I looked over her shoulder and saw a brown head poking from one side of the wall. I wanted to make her get out of here and go back to the van, but of course I couldn't because that would only draw Galina's attention to my sister. Viktoria had her stake and was only waiting for the right opportunity to attack but I still didn't like her being here.

I made my self look away from Viktoria and focused on Galina's face. "You want to be with me," She started but and I had the impulse to go to her. She was making so much sense now. "You'll drop the stake because you only want to come with me." Yes, I wanted to do just that.

My attention was only on her and when I started walking towards her I noticed that she let go of something she had been holding. I didn't care however. I just wanted to go to her. It was as if she was the center of the universe but something in the back of my mind was telling me that this wasn't right. But I kept walking even though I had doubts.

I stopped in front of her and just stared at her, waiting for what she'd say next.

"You want to kiss me and you'll let me bite you" I pressed her against the wall with my body and began kissing her. Her arms wrapped around my neck and I put my hands on either side of her waist holding her close to me.

She removed her arms from around my neck and began trailing her hands down my chest. I had the feeling that I should want to do more but I didn't. I didn't have the necessity to keep kissing her I just felt like I should be doing it and that was it. She pushed me back and I ended with my back to the wall. I kept kissing her and touching her. She removed her lips from mine and began trailing kisses from my collar bone up to my neck. I let her do that because I… Why was I letting her do that? I didn't really know but it felt good till she sank her teeth into my neck. I had the urge to push her away but I couldn't because I liked it.

The feeling was amazing, I don't think I've ever felt better than this. I was happy and excited. No, this wasn't the first time I've ever felt like this. I've felt much better but I couldn't… remember… why...? With… who?

My thoughts were clouded with lust and the only thing I wanted was her. Yes, her. Suddenly I felt her stiffen and then she stopped drinking from me. She fell to the floor but her teeth were still in my neck and as she fell she slashed my throat open. I fell with her.

**I hope you like this chapter. I'll update as soon as I get a bunch of reviews.**

**Please go and vote in my poll if you read my other story, Lovely Rose With Thorns.**


	7. Chapter 7

My thoughts were clouded with lust and the only thing I wanted was her. Yes, her. Suddenly I felt her stiffen and then she stopped drinking from me. She fell to the floor but her teeth were still in my neck and as she fell she slashed my throat open and I fell with her.

As I lay on the floor with my hand on my throat I got a glimpse of Roza on the floor. She was still breathing which meant that she was still alive. I thanked God for that and tried to focus on the figure hovering over me and talking frantically. My eyes focused on my sister Viktoria and I managed to give her a small smile. It was funny how much I wanted to hug her and tell her that everything would be all right but I wasn't sure about that my self. I could feel the blood flowing out of the wound in my neck. This was my entire fault anyways. I should have known that she'd try to use compulsion on me to make me Strigoi without putting up a fight but it didn't matter anymore because now I was going to die. I winced at the thought.

I was going to die without seeing my daughter grow up and I'd leave my Roza.

Oh my Roza.

Just thinking about her made me want to be with her. I wanted to feel her lips against mine one more time and take the memory with me but I knew that wouldn't be possible. Roza was unconscious and probably still weak from all those times that Galina must have fed from her. Besides she needed to rest so she could get stronger and get over the nightmare she must have been in while living here surrounded by Strigoi.

"Dimitri! Dimitri please just hold on!" Viktoria was screaming hysterically and she shook me.

I realized that she called me Dimitri instead of Dimka. She only calls me by my name when she's desperate and I think the fact that she's watching me die counted as desperate.

I was trying to keep my eyes open but it was vey hard. I felt so tired and drowsy. I heard a ripping sound, and then she wrapped something around my neck. I wanted to say something but what came out of my mouth was a choking sound and that's when I realized that I was having problems breathing which was only making it worse for me. I kept trying to speak and thank her but I kept doing choking sounds.

**VPOV**

When I saw the Strigoi bite Dimitri I knew I had to do something, it was now or never that I'd be able to save him so I walked silently trying to concentrate on not making any noises instead of the fact that my brother was making out and being bitten by a Strigoi. But I know that if he was in his right mind he'd probably be as disgusted as I was.

On my way to Dimitri I checked on Roza, she was still laying on the floor not moving but still breathing. I'm not a doctor or anything but I'm sure that her shallow breathing wasn't a good sign. She needed help and fast if she wasn't going to die.

I didn't want to have to leave her alone but I had to kill the Strigoi first.

So I walked over to the Strigoi and when I was right behind her I staked her from behind. I heard the cracking sound as the stake probably plunged through her spine and finally reached her heart. She had been so busy sucking my brother's life that she didn't even notice me coming up from behind her.

I smiled as I saw her fall to the floor but then out of the corner of my eye I saw Dimitri fall too. He fell beside her, blood pouring from a wound in his neck.

"Dimitri! Please just hold on!" I said crying because I wouldn't be able to stand his death.

I gasped when I saw all that blood and quickly ripped a piece of clothing from my jeans and put it on Dimitri's neck. He made choking sounds trying to talk and I put a finger on his lips. He wasn't really looking at me. His eyes were focus on Roza a couple of feet away from us. The other Guardians probably weren't done with the other Strigoi because they weren't here yet. Or maybe they just got lost in this place.

I didn't care about anything else, I just wanted Dimitri to get up and…

"Dimitri everything's going to be all right. The other Guardians will be here any minute and… They'll help you and Roza" I stopped babbling because I heard a soft moan coming from behind me and when I turned around I saw Roza waking up.

Her eyes fluttered open but it took her a couple of seconds to focus her eyes on my brother. She looked tired and weak but as soon as she focused on Dimitri she looked alert and cradling her stomach she crawled over to us. I helped her and when I turned to Dimitri I saw how he was looking at her, how she was looking at him. I let go of Dimitri's hand and gave it Roza.

They were looking at each other with love, I stood up and walked toward the door and once there I called the other Guardians.

I press the button of the walkie talkie. "We're on the fourth floor, the coast is clear but please bring that first aid kit. Dimitri and Roza need help." After that I started crying because I didn't know if the stupid first aid kit would be enough to help my brother.

**RPOV**

I opened my eyes and looked around. I was surrounded by trees and the garden where I was standing was beautiful. I breathed in the air and lost my self at the sight of everything. In this place I felt very happy and nothing could ruin my mood. I wanted to stay in this place and never have to wake up. This place was so peaceful and full of love… Why did the mention of the word love made me feel so uneasy? I had the feeling that I should remember something important bust I didn't know what.

"Rose!" Someone shouted my name and when I turned around I saw a very exhausted and relieved Adrian. Then all the memories came rushing back to me and I remembered what had been going on when I fell asleep. Galina had been about to kill me and the baby… I started crying when Adrian pulled me into his arms.

He held me tight while I cried and when I pulled back from his arms to look at his eyes I saw worry in his eyes and that scared me even more because now something was different from the other times he visited my dreams. Now there was a glint of fear, rage, regret and sadness in his eyes. He wasn't even trying to mask his emotions. He was being obvious about everything.

"What happened Adrian?" I asked him and he looked down.

"He was on his way to you, Dimitri must already be there by now and the fact that you're here is not a good sign" He said glumly meeting my gaze and I took a step back from him.

"What?" I asked stupidly and then I remembered what Galina had said. She said that he was already there and that she'd kill me quickly. Did she kill me?

"I'm I dead?" I asked, my voice barely audible because I was scared of the answer. If I was dead then that meant that my baby was dead too.

"No, of course not! If you were dead then I wouldn't be able to reach you but I can see your aura and its getting darker and darker." His voice dropped to a whisper then. "But I think that you are dying." He finished and I felt like I was going to puke.

I couldn't die! Dimitri was already trying to rescue me and all I have to do was stay alive till he could get some help. That was it. I looked up to Adrian and prepared my self to ask him something that I wouldn't have dared to ask if my life hadn't depended on it.

"Heal me" I said and I reached up to hold him by his shirt. He was shocked at my sudden outburst.

"What?" I held him tighter.

"Heal me please. I don't want to die like this. I want to be with Dimitri and with my baby. Please Adrian just heal me" I saw regret and pain in his eyes.

"I can't. I'm not able to do it yet. I can barely heal a plant, I won't be able to heal you" I could see how much he wanted to be able to heal me and I knew that if he had been able then he would have done so since the beginning. I let go of him and started crying. I was doomed to die, there was no other choice. "I'm sorry Rose. I wish I could do it but I can't!" He ran a hand through his tousled hair, exasperated. "I wish I could because I know how much you two love each other but…" He stopped talking and focused on something behind me. I turned around and stared at Lissa.

Lissa was running toward us and then she was in my arms. She was hugging me very tight and we both had tears in our eyes and laughing at the same time. I wanted to tell her so many things that happened since I arrived in Russia with Dimitri, how much I loved his family and all about my baby. I wanted to say so many things. I didn't want to die, not yet.

"Rose I can't believe I was able to get here! I'm finally able to dream-walk." She squealed with joy and I let out a breathless laugh.

"Lissa she's dying, look at her aura." Adrian said through gritted teeth, barely able to say the words and Lissa's emotions changed. She looked at me from head to toes and then she sobbed.

"But she can't… I… Rose you can't… She's pregnant…" I cut her off.

"He's right Lissa, I'm dying because the Strigoi took too much blood from me and I think that I'm losing the baby" I tried not to crack and start crying.

"I can heal you!" She took my hand and I felt the rush of happiness and joy every time she healed someone. I started to feel much better than I've felt in a long time. I felt able to do anything and full of life but I knew that it wouldn't last long. Suddenly she stopped and I looked at her. She looked tired.

"I can't do anything more" she said breathlessly and I hugged her gratefully.

"That's enough Liss," I said smiling at her.

"Rose, your aura still dark but not as dark as before" Adrian announced relieved and I ran into his arms and hugged him tight.

"Rose you have to wake up" Lissa said and I turned around to her. Her expression was sad and tired.

"What? Why not wait till Dimitri brings me back to the house? I don't want to wake up and see all the Strigoi." I said and shuddered at the thought of seeing all those corpses of Strigoi. I've seen them before and I've killed them but somehow all those memories are just too much too bear. I don't think I'll be able to see them without puking or fainting.

Adrian looked away and I instantly knew that there was something wrong and they weren't telling me.

"What is it? What's wrong?" I asked anxiously looking from Lissa to Adrian.

"Yeva…" Lissa began dolefully and I focused my attention on her, her emerald eyes glazing at me with… pity? Pain? "She warned Dimitri that something could go wrong and she's never incorrect." By the time she finished my breath had already caught in my throat and I wasn't able to talk anymore. If something happens to Dimitri… I didn't even want to think about it.

"Are you with them? Are you at the house or with the Guardians?" I asked her pulling her closer to me. She shook her head slowly, tears running down her cheeks.

"No, they wouldn't let me come." She said just before everything got blurry and I didn't see them anymore.

_**I apologize for the bad grammar but I don't have much time to make it better because the annoying teacher is hurrying me to do the stupid Fast math. Anyways I have good news, my computer is alive again! Isn't that great? I'll be able to update Lovely Rose With Thorns soon, maybe tomorrow. I also started writing a story on my own but I won't publish it here because I want it to be mine and maybe someday publish it. But I'll put a summary later so you guys can tell me if you'd read it or not.**_

_**I'll publish soon the other story that I told you about, the one where she meets the guy at a concert.**_

_**Please leave me a bunch of reviews so I'll get inspired.**_


	8. Chapter 8

"**No, they wouldn't let me come." She said just before everything got blurry and I didn't see them anymore.** The blackness swallowed me.

I came to my senses slowly. I didn't dare to open my eyes because I was afraid I might see something I wouldn't like. Maybe see Dimitri as a Strigoi or dead, either of them would break my heart into pieces. As I came to my senses I realized in how much pain I was. My body ached as if I had been training a whole day without stopping and my neck felt damp and it hurted like hell. I could barely lift a finger, a soft moan escape my lips when I tried to move to one side.

The only thought in my frightened mind was Dimitri. Was he alive? I was too weak and I could barely sit up and when I accomplished it I started to look around. It took me a couple of seconds to see the difference in the place. Where Galina had been standing the last time I saw her was now Viktoria. She had tears in her eyes and behind her was Galina's lifeless body with a stake through her heart. I almost started laughing but why was Viktoria crying? Did she got hurt?

I scanned her body for any injuries but nothing seemed broken or bloody. I sighed in relief but my breath caught in my throat when I saw the reason why she had been crying. In front of her was a large body dressed all in black. At first sight you'd think that the man was only leaning against the wall with his legs in front of him taking a nap or just resting but looking more closely I realized that he was bleeding from a wound in his neck half covered by a black piece of clothing.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw the blood pouring from his wound. Galina must have sliced his throat before she died. That bitch couldn't die without taking someone with her!

I practically had to crawl my way to Dimitri's body and when I reached his side his eyes focused on me and I only saw love, relief, passion and pain all mixed together. The sight of him suffering made my heart ache because I wasn't able to do anything to help. He was dying and I was just standing here watching him slip away from me. The pain that I felt inside my chest was so overwhelming that it became the only thing I could focus on.

Dimitri was looking at me. His warm brown eyes were telling me everything he couldn't form into words. His eyes mimicked what I felt for him and for an instant I thought I saw a glint of guilt before his eyes closed and his hand that had been holding mine went limp. My heart raced and I gripped his hand tighter.

"Dimitri? Dimitri wake up!" I was screaming and shaking his hand. He didn't move at all.

"What happened?" Viktoria asked kneeling on the other side of Dimitri, she took his hand and she put her other hand on his cheek. Tears were running down her cheeks and I could see the pain and grief in her eyes.

"Please wake up, wake up!" I started murmuring against Dimitri's chest. His shirt was soaked with blood and I could smell it. The blood smelled… sweet. I've smelled blood before and it always had that coppery or salty smell that I didn't like but this time I could actually smell blood as something else. The smell was driving me crazy.

"Roza…" Viktoria said but I didn't even look at her.

"Wake up, wake up, please just wake up…" I kept murmuring over and over the same words. I took a deep breath and the sweet smell filled my nostrils again and this time not only did I like it but I felt my baby start to move and kick as if telling me what to do. I didn't need anything else, I just looked up and licked Dimitri's blood off his shirt.

The taste of it burst into my mouth and it tasted good, more than good actually. I've never tasted anything like that before and I liked it very much. It was so sweet, kind of like cherry or something. Not satisfied with only licking his shirt I moved up to his neck where there was more, more sweet, warm liquid… I snapped back to reality when someone burst into the room and everyone started shouting. Someone tried to take me away from Dimitri but I clung to him as of my life depended on it.

"Rose, you have to let go of him. He's dying and we need to get out of here before dusk." It was a woman's voice, and it sounded familiar but I didn't even glance at her because I was being overwhelmed by this new hunger and combined with all the worry and fear that I felt for Dimitri. I was very dangerous.

Blood. Dimitri's blood smelled and tasted sweeter than anything else and I wanted it pretty bad. So bad that I started to trash around just to get to him but so I felt very weak and the last thing I remembered was seeing Viktoria crying.

**APOV**

After going into Rose's dreams I woke up in my own bed. Lissa was on the couch and woke up at the same time I did. She looked very tired and worn out. Christian was nowhere in sight which was weird because those two were joined by the hip. She looked around startled and when she spotted me she sighed, relieved.

"Adrian what if it wasn't enough? What if something goes wrong? I can't believe I couldn't help more." The look of regret in her eyes and the anxiety were probably mirroring mine. I felt so anxious and exasperated because I wasn't able to help Rose the way I would have liked to.

"Lissa I think that things will probably be fine. Viktoria and Dimitri are with her by now and she can't be safer than that." I just hoped I was right and Dimitri didn't do anything stupid like letting himself die or something. His Grandmother's warning had been pretty bloodcurdling and the way she said it sounded pretty confident.

"You heard what Yeva said Adrian! What if something happened to Guardian Belikov? Adrian please try to go to him, just to confirm that he's awake and fine." She wasn't making any sense now. Why would I want to go into his head?

Last time I saw his aura it was pretty gloomy and dark. Full of pain and God knows what else. Going into his head would probably be like trying to make my self crazy. I honestly didn't know how the guy's still sane and not hallucinating or something else.

"What? No, I don't want to do that. Lissa we've both seen his aura and going into his head would be like…" She cut me off.

"Adrian if I could I'd go but I can't. I'm already drained of energy and I need to rest. Besides if something happens and they bring the people that have been wounded then I'll have to heal them." She was making sense now.

"Fine but I'm sure that Dimitri's just fine. I don't think the guy's stupid enough to let any Strigoi get anywhere near him" I explained but she kept staring at me so I sighed and tried to go back to sleep again.

I looked for him and then I found him. He wasn't exactly in his head. He was in some sort of dark place that was keeping him there. Someone or something was keeping him there and he couldn't do anything. I couldn't get him to go into one of my dreams. I could only go to that place and try to talk to him but that was it.

I couldn't control the place's atmosphere like I could usually do because the place felt more like a trap than anything else and I actually felt the coldness and loneliness of the place. It felt wrong and scary. I couldn't believe this was Dimitri's head. This couldn't be his head because usually people's thoughts didn't feel like this and nobody could keep me away from their dreams. This place was something else, something that wasn't good. I could see him from where I was and he didn't look happy at all. He had a weird expression, almost exasperated and frustrated.

I had never seen the guy emotional before, well not until Rose disappeared two weeks ago. I had even thought that the guy was made of stone or that he could only get mad but I was so wrong. I even wondered how Rosa could have fallen for him. I mean the cradle robber was so not her type. I always thought that Rose would end up either Guarding Lissa or with some other Moroi men and she'd be able to have kids with and a family not that she had really fallen for Dimitri.

I thought that whatever she had for Dimitri was only a high school crush and that in time she'd come to her senses and realize what a mistake she was making by getting married and living with the guy. But seeing Dimitri suffering for his lose and Rose suffering for not being with Dimitri made me realize how much they loved each other and that their love was real.

What I had with Tasha had only been an affair, nothing serious because she was kind of older than me and because we both had been feeling lonely. I, because Rose was with Dimitri when I thought that maybe we could have a chance, and Tasha because she kind of still had a thing for Dimitri. After a couple of months we decided that we'd only be friends that could get together sometimes and have a good time. She didn't use me and I didn't use her, we were only trying to make each other better.

Coming to Siberia had been probably the best thing I could have done. I met the cradle robber's sister that was actually a good person, unlike her brother. I just wish that I had known her in other situation instead of this. She had also been moping around and mourning Rose's absence.

It was obvious that she had been friends with Rose, and the rest of the girls were also very sad. Karolina with her son didn't talk much with me or Tasha but I could tell how much they loved Rose. Olena and Yeva were also very down on spirits and worried about Rose. It was obvious that Rosa had found a family that loved and supported her not matter what.

Now I knew why she had stayed here all these months. She felt loved and secured in her own little world where she, Dimitri, and his family were happy together far from Moroi like my aunt that only used Damphir and thought of them as lower class.

I tried to help Viktoria. We talked for hours and I realized what a great person she is, her wits and maturity were adorable and I found her very intriguing. She tried to keep a straight and professional face whenever she was around people or her brother just so nobody else would break down but I could see in her eyes what a great effort it was for her because she missed Rose and was afraid for her. I tried to reassure her that everything was going to be alright but she was smart and knew better than believe me when I was just trying to make her feel better. She knew that I also had my doubts.

So I tried talking to her about Rose when she had been in the academy. How I met her and that we had been kind of good friends if you didn't count the many times I flirted with her and she turned me down because her heart already belonged to somebody else. Viktoria told me how Rose was when she was here.

The rose I knew and the one that she described here were totally opposites. She hadn't gotten drunk or punched someone and the whole time she had only been worried about her baby. She was still a smartass for what Viktoria told me she did to Dimitri when they were playing truth or dare. It was hilarious what she told me about it and the uncomfortable question that the little boy Paul had asked them. I couldn't believe Rose made that comment in front of Dimitri's sister and Mother. But that was Rose, always brave with a smart mouth. Always worrying either about Lissa or Dimitri. Now she had to worry about her baby.

I think that I even started to like Viktoria as something more than a friend. Even though she's seventeen years old she acts more mature than other girls I've meet. Se told me about her boyfriend. The idiot who recently broke her heart by going away with his Moroi, he chose the Moroi over her and she was devastated because she thought she loved him and that the loved her back. I tried to tell her that if he left than they weren't meant to be together and that someday she'd find someone good for her, just like Rose and Dimitri.

She asked me about me and all I could tell her was that I was a lonely spirit user that could only try to avoid the insanity by getting drunk. I wasn't proud of admitting it because compared to her I'm kid of like the devil but she didn't mind. She understood me and didn't judge me for what I was or did. She thought that dream-walking was awesome and that all I could do was amazing. She didn't believed I was being selfish or anything by getting drunk to avoid the symptoms of Spirit, she thought that if that's what I had to do to not go crazy that it was fine.

I definitely fell for her in those two weeks of talking and two days ago we kissed. I felt her lips against mine for the first time and I had no words to describe the amazing feeling. I could only say that it felt like home and the feeling of belonging was more than I could have ever asked for. Her warm and soft lips against mine drove me crazy and her scent. God it was irresistible.

But we haven't talk since that night I kissed her when everyone else was sleeping and we had come downstairs to get a glass of water. She avoided me the whole time and wouldn't even look at me in the eyes. Those beautiful eyes that were kind of freaking me out because of the fact those were the same color and shape as Dimitri's. I had heard Rose talk about his eyes but I only saw them as normal brown eyes, nothing especial till I saw them in the pretty, beautiful face of Viktoria. Her brown hair with locks of gold was so soft and silk-like. I hadn't been able to stop thinking about her ever since that wonderful kiss and when I couldn't save Rose I thought about Viktoria who'd probably be devastated if something happened to Rose and me who was Rose's friend and wasn't able to heal her because I wasn't strong enough like Lissa.

Now seeing Dimitri in that dark pit where I was sure he was trying to get out but couldn't, would pretty much do the same thing to Viktoria. She loved her family so much. I went in and tried to talk to Dimitri. As soon as I saw him kind of flashes came into my mind and I saw what had happened to him. He was dying because the Strigoi slashed his throat open but there was no trace of anything on his neck now, which I was grateful for because see who I thought was almost invencible would pretty much make me throw up.

He looked like he always did. But now I knew where he was and why he couldn't wake up and get out. I also got glimpses of his memories with Rose, felt his feelings for her and it was so overwhelming.

He was in the arms of death, in that place that wasn't neither dead or life. Some kind of in between because he was fighting for his life and didn't want to let go just yet. He needed to do something before dying and become one of the ghosts Rose was able to see. So this had been what Yeva meant when she said she saw him alone. It wasn't that something would happen to Rose, it was because something happened to Dimitri and now he was in the verge of death.

This was no good.

"Dimitri!" I called and he turned around. He sighed relieved as if seeing me was the best thing that could have happened to him. I felt a twinge of guilt for not being able to help him and for having to be the one to tell him that he was dying and didn't have much time.

**I'm sorry for not updating sooner but I've been really busy with my tests and writing. I'll update the other novel ASAP, don't worry and I'll put the other new novel soon, the one about the three Vampires and the girl who met the guy at the concert.**


	9. Chapter 9

"Dimitri!" I called and he turned around. He sighed relieved as if seeing me was the best thing that could have happened to him. I felt a twinge of guilt for not being able to help him and for having to be the one to tell him that he's dying and must not have much time.

**DPOV**

Darkness swallowed me and I couldn't move, couldn't make any sound. This darkness was heavier and impossible to fight. I couldn't feel my body or hear anything. Everything was so quiet and peaceful that it was unbearable. It felt as if something was holding me here and I couldn't escape from here. I was all alone in this place, nothing to hold onto, just memories. This place felt more like a cage, I was being held here. I started to be able to move and then I got up. Everywhere I looked there was darkness and no exit or anything.

Memories started to come to me, memories that I've been holding onto because those were the most precious for me. Those memories were the ones when I first met my Roza. How hard it had been for me to keep my self away from her. I never stopped thinking about her, not even when I told her we were wrong. I always loved her, since the moment I laid eyes on her she became the center of my universe. Nothing else mattered but her. She made me happy at all times.

Never thought I'd love someone like I loved her and I never thought of having kids with anybody. Yet when the doctor told me that Roza was pregnant suddenly I had this urge to have one and I loved my child as much as loved my Roza. Both of them became my world.

I remembered when I had been teaching Roza how to use the stake. She had been excited at first and when I finally gave it to her she held back. She had been fighting for control just like I had but that time her comment on how I had been teaching her to hold back really pierced my heart. She had been right that I had been trying to teach to hold back but I had been doing it so she could hold back and snap me out of it if I ever lost control my self.

I've been afraid of failing as a Guardian and never thought of my second option. I had never thought of leaving my duties but when I met Roza and she put my world upside down everything changed. After the battle at the caves when I realized how easily I could lose my Roza or lose my self that's when I finally was able to open my eyes and make the best decision.

All those memories were swirling around me and they were so strong, I was almost relieving them.

"Dimitri!" Someone shouted my name and I instinctively turned around. Adrian appeared out of nowhere I sighed in relief knowing that this was one of Adrian's many tricks. He was the one holding me here but why in this dark place? Roza told me that every time he'd visit her she'd be in a Garden or beach or something like that. She never mentioned a dark cold place where nothing could be heard.

"Adrian get me out of here! I need to go back and make sure Roza is ok." I knew there was something wrong the moment Adrian looked guilty. What could have gone wrong now?

"I can't. It's not me who's keeping you here." I knew it!

"Then who is it? I need to wake up Adrian and…" He cut me off.

"What happened while you were rescuing Rose? What happened to you?" I looked at him confused. What could have happened to me? I was… Everything came back rushing to me and hitting me with such a force. Viktoria coming in and Galina using compulsion on me and then Viktoria staked her but my throat… Galina's fangs sliced my throat open. Roza! Roza had been on the floor and dying when that happened. Was she alright? My sister… what… She had been crying just before I blacked out. Damn it this couldn't happen to me. I had finally gotten Roza back.

"Galina slashed my throat open." I said and putting my hand on my neck that had no signs of the slash. Adrian's eyes widened and I could have sworn he gasped.

"But… What kind of idiot are you Belikov?" His words astonished me. "You were supposed to bring Rose back not get yourself killed!" No he was blaming me for it, like I had something to do with it. And since when does he care? He started pacing back and forth.

"I need to get back, if you're not holding me here then why the hell I'm here?" He stopped and looked at me, if I hadn't known him better I'd say there was sadness and regret in there.

"Because… you're dying." Those words made me feel nauseous. I couldn't be dying… I couldn't die.

I couldn't die now. I had to be strong and keep my self alive.

"Ok then, heal me and maybe I'll go back" He started to shake his head even before I finished talking.

"I can't do that. I'm not strong enough like Lissa." Great they send me a novice.

"Well then bring the princess Adrian, I need to go back!" Again he shook his head and I threw my hands up in the air exasperated that I and he couldn't do anything.

"Lissa already healed Rose and she can't heal you, besides she won't be able to dream-walk in a while. You are alone on this one but I came her to keep you here for as long as I can so you won't go all the way." What did he mean by that? Go all the way?

"Where am I exactly?" I asked cautiously measuring my words.

"In the in between, I suppose because you're not in you body anymore but you're not dead either. I never heard of such thing but now that you're here I'm a believer." So I wasn't dead, that was good right? But if I had to stay here till they took me back to my house where Lissa was maybe I'd be able to survive. I just had to hang onto this place.

"How long would I need to stay here?" I asked cautiously afraid that I might not like the answer. He shrugged.

"I don't know, a while I guess because it will take Lissa a while to get back to normal. Healing Rose wore her out and dream-walking just drained her." He looked so calmed that it was driving me crazy.

"You'll have to come again to tell me how's Rose and if you don't come as soon as I wake up I'll make sure you regret it" He obviously knew that right now I couldn't do anything because he barely flinched.

But he nodded. "I'll do it but meanwhile you have to entertain yourself with something so you won't let go. I saw what you were doing early and I think that that's a good idea. Keep going through all of it and I'll see you later" He took a couple of steps back and melted into the darkness leaving me behind and I felt the coldness starting to take over so I tried to fight it with the memory from the first time Roza and I kissed.

**RPOV**

The warmth of the bed made me want to stay here forever. Nothing could make me feel better than being here. I felt perfect and there was no pain except this feeling inside my chest, it felt familiar but I couldn't quite place it. I opened my eyes looking for Dimitri. But he wasn't there. The bed was empty. Someone gripped my hand and squeezed it reassuringly.

"Dimitri" I mumbled, barely able to form the words because they hurt like hell. Whoever was beside me let out a low sob. I also felt like crying but I didn't have any tears left.

"Roza he's… he's getting better." Getting better… that was just a less painful way to tell you that he was bad and probably dying. I rolled to one side and curled up into a ball. He was dying and it was my fault.

"Viktoria I want to see him, please take me to him" I begged her.

"Roza we can't go in there. Lissa and Adrian are in there with him, Babushka called Mark and Oksana and they'll be here tomorrow. Roza something happened at…" I interrupted her by sitting up and trying to get up. Suddenly everything started to spin around but I ignored it and tried to get up. Viktoria kept me from getting up though.

"Roza you can't do this. He'll be fine as soon as Oksana gets here tomorrow morning, maybe sooner but you have to stay in bed. Lissa healed you, or tried to but your baby's still in danger" I had a decision to make and it wasn't easy.

What was I supposed to do? The baby was still in danger and Dimitri needed me what was I supposed to do? I couldn't just leave Dimitri like that but I didn't want to risk my baby.

"Viktoria you… you have to tell me the truth. Is he really… really going to be ok?" Viktoria hugged me tight and I couldn't contain the sobs anymore.

"I… don't know" Her voice broke. "He almost bled to death after Galina… She drank from him and then his throat was cut open." She was trying very hard not to cry but I could still sense the sadness in her voice.

"Why hasn't Lissa healed him? She did it to me and…"

"Because he might end up being shadow kissed too and he wouldn't want that. Lissa's too weak now. Adrian said that his soul is in some sort of… in between. If Lissa brings him back… Oksana can heal most of his injuries without bringing him back." It wasn't helping because I still felt like I should be with him.

"What happened at that place? I don't remember much please tell me" I couldn't believe how I could have forgotten about that, those could be the last moments I spend with him. That broke my heart.

"Roza please I think you should just…" I pushed her away from me and she almost fell off the bed.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Suddenly all the sadness and fear became anger, an anger that was consuming me. "I want to see Dimitri, Viktoria! You must be laughing inside now that you know we might not have our happy ending like you said we did. He might die and I'll stay all alone just like you. Nikolai left because he didn't love you! You didn't have the guts to go after him and now you want me to end up alone like you!" The hurt in Viktoria's eyes was priceless and I smiled at her evilly.

She tried to make me do what she wanted to, that was a mistake. The little bitch would learn not to mess with me.

"Roza your not yourself, just calm down…"

"I won't calm down till I see Dimitri do you understand me? I love him and…" The door opened and Adrian came in followed by Lissa and my Mother.

"Rose! Oh my God I was so worried, I thought I lost you" Lissa said with tears in her eyes and she hugged me.

I pushed her away disgusted by her, she's such a hypocrite. She never was my friend because if she had been then she wouldn't have kept me at her side all this time. Time that I wasted not being with Dimitri. I just couldn't believe I didn't see it sooner. We've never been friends, I've always been her fucking Guardian dog and nothing more. She only was with me because I could protect her and that was it.

"Don't touch me! You fucking Moroi stay away from me!" The look of shock in their faces was very pleasing.

"Rosemarie don't ever…" Janine.

"You shut up because you are not my Mother anymore. Did you think I'd forgive you this easy for what you did? You almost killed my baby!" She shut up and took a step back. I didn't know if she did it because she knew what I said was true or because she was scared of me. I was certain that I didn't look friendly though. The anger was still running through my veins like poison.

"She's under the effects of the darkness from Lissa, don't get her any angrier." Adrian explained and I was almost grateful with him because he'd get them away from me.

"Rose I'm sorry… I can help you" Before I could do anything else Lissa touched my hand and slowly I calmed down. The anger left me empty inside and with nothing else that could hold me together. The sobs started shortly after that. Lissa tried to console me but I pushed her away again because I really didn't want her to be anywhere near me. Adrian left with Lissa and my Mother. Thankfully Viktoria stayed with me and this time when she pulled me tight in a hug I didn't pull away.

My baby kicked and protested the whole time and my back was killing me but I couldn't stop crying.

"I'm sorry…. I didn't mean any of those things I said to you" Viktoria nodded understanding.

"Don't worry Roza." I was relieved to know that she wouldn't stop being my friend just because I behaved like a crazy bitch. "Roza I need to tell you something and it might scare you but I need you to hear me out ok?" I nodded.

She wouldn't do or say anything to hurt me I knew that but when she meant that it could scare me then…

"Tell me, I can take it" I wasn't sure if I was saying the truth or not, or if I would be able to take it.

"Roza you… when you woke up you tasted Dimitri's blood. He was bleeding and you licked his blood" I couldn't believe what she was saying. I would have never do anything like…

The sweetness… yes I remembered. I drank Dimitri's blood. But… Oh God what did I do? I shouldn't have but it tasted so good and sweet that I couldn't resist it. Then I remembered something in my mouth. Something that didn't belong there.

"A mirror, bring me a mirror please." She looked at me and then she brought me a mirror. I was very afraid of what I might see and when I looked in the mirror it confirmed what I had feared the most. I had fangs just like the Moroi.

"You're becoming Moroi" Viktoria explained and I looked at her. "We talked to Mark and Oksana over the phone and they explained that. Roza the baby is not like us… She's not Damphir, she's Moroi and it's changing you too." That was not possible, my baby couldn't be Moroi. She was Damphir like her Father and I, she had to be Damphir. "You're becoming Moroi too"

"That's impossible Viktoria" I whispered not wanting to believe it.

"You'll talk to Mark and Oksana tomorrow after they heal Dimitri" She said trying to calm me down but my mind was still trying to adjust to what she just said. That couldn't be possible.

**I'm sorry for not updating sooner, I really I'm but I've been kinda busy. I hope you can understand. I'll update my other story as soon as possible and I hope you can forgive me but I hvae some sort of writer's block because I just broke up with my boyfriend about two weeks ago, then his friends started to flirt with me and he's a good guy and all but I just don't like him. Guess what? Victor, another friend of mine also started to flirt with me and my friend chelsea asked John if he had a thing for me and he said yes. My life is so complicated but to make it worse, ormaybe better I don't know, yesterday my crush from last year decided to ask me out and I said yes, my life is definately complicated. **

**So' I'm really sorry because I haven't been able to update but I'll do it as soon as I can.**

**Please visit my blog:./**

**Review and leave me comments on what else you'd like me to write about beside the Vampire Academy Series.**

**Soon I'll also post the other story that I told you about Vampires, their names are: Joseff, Paul and Nikolai. Do you get it? Are the names familiar? I'm a total dork for having a crush on them, used to actually but I do like the names so I'm leaving them. The protagonist of the story is Paul, after his story I'll post one of his brother's stories but only if you like the first one.**

**I'll post soon and please review, maybe that's why I'm having a writer's block.**

**Read the book: Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay asher.**

**Heart's at stake by Alyxandra something, its a new book but its really good and I might start a story about Lucy and Nicholas because I liked their characters. Your choice if I write about them or not.**


	10. Chapter 10

"**That's impossible Viktoria" I whispered not wanting to believe it. **

"**You'll talk to Mark and Oksana tomorrow after they heal Dimitri" She said trying to calm me down but my mind was still trying to adjust to what she just said. That couldn't be possible.**

**Three days later**

**DPOV**

I was still in the cold and heavy darkness. I didn't know how long I had been there but I was thankful of some company every time Adrian came and told me that Roza was alright and that she had actually tried to get him drunk so he'd come and visit me. She wanted to know if I was alright and wanted Adrian to tell me that she loved me.

I felt a little bit better when he said that. I was very glad that she fine but I couldn't wake up. Not yet. Adrian explained to me what Oksana thought was wrong with me and that she would try to help me in a couple of days because she had been gathering strength. My soul was still separated from my body and that was why I was still here. I didn't like it any better but if I had to stay here some time just so I can go back later then I would do it. I loved Rose and I wanted to be with her so I had to endure this place, this coldness and darkness that was like a torture chamber because it kept replaying all my mistakes and from time to time some good memories with Roza.

I had only seen the cabin memory once and I relieved all my feelings for Roza, her face and expression when we finally decided to let go of everything we ad been carrying and give our selves to each other. I didn't regret it at all.

But then the bad memories came rushing to me and were hurting like hell. I had been experiencing this awful headache that felt as if someone was smashing me skull against something many times. The bad memories were the ones where I pushed Roza away because I had thought that I thought it was best if we stayed away from each other. How wrong I had been and the look of hurt in Roza's eyes had been just too much. It took the best of me being there. I couldn't take it anymore!

The pressure around me was suffocating me and everything was so quiet and dark that it was frustrating. All the time I had been in here I could feel some sort of switch. Well not exactly a switch but a way to let go any moment I wanted and right now it was tempting to just let go and get rid of this agony. The alternative had repulsed me at first because I had to be crazy if I let go and the fact that now it was appealing to meant only one thing. I was either going crazy or the pain and pressures were the ones to blame.

I tried to calm my self down but I couldn't.

Everywhere I looked there it was Roza and every time I tried to go to her she disappeared or simply went away. Some of the Roza's there were Strigoi and some were still pregnant with our baby. I even saw a Roza holding a baby but she wouldn't let me get anywhere near her.

She was screaming at me that I left her and now she hated me. All of them hated me or tried to kill me. It was just too much, I couldn't deal with anything anymore and the darkness tried to take me away again but I wanted to keep seeing my Roza. Even if it meant listening to her words full of hatred and hurt.

Suddenly I felt like I was floating away from it all and alarmed bells started to ring in my head, if I was letting go then I was dying. I couldn't die! Not after all this that I had been enduring and waiting for someone to come and bring me back to my body.

**RPOV**

Everyone was around Dimitri's bed. Adrian was talking in whispers to Viktoria trying to console her because she had finally started crying. Lissa and Christian were in the corner just watching. Since yesterday we hadn't talk because what I said it was true.

Janine was with another Moroi and both of them were watching me carefully and warily as if at any moment I might start attacking people. I might do it if Oksana didn't hurry up bringing Dimitri back. Dimitri's family was also here, except Paul. Karolina had told Paul to stay in his room. Olena and Yeva were trying to keep their distance but they were just as worried as Sonya and Karolina.

I was beside the bed holding Dimitri's hand, waiting for him to wake up when Oksana started to try to bring him back by only healing his body and eventually his soul would come back to him. I was sure I'd be able to handle it because today I was feeling a lot better than I had yesterday.

Mark and Oksana promised that they'd explain everything after Dimitri's awakening.

"Ok I'll start but I need you Rose to be patient if he doesn't wakes up right away ok?" I nodded and sighed.

She placed her hands on Dimitri's neck and I could see how his skin was closing and healing leaving no trace of that injury but just a barely visible scar.

I tightened my grip on his hand when Oksana backed away from him but he didn't return the squeeze. He just lay there not opening his eyes and not moving. I reached out and put my hand on his cheek caressing his cheek slightly and with love. I leaned closer and started whispering in his ear.

"Dimitri please wake up. I'm here, I'm fine please just wake up. I miss you" I kept on whispering things in his ear and the baby started to kick more. As a last resort I placed his hand on my belly so he'd feel the baby and after a couple of seconds his eyes flickered open.

He looked at me and then down at his hand that was touching my stomach. He smiled, the smile reached his eyes and I couldn't help my self anymore. I leaned in and kissed him. He kissed me back and cupped my face with his hands.

I wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tight. I was so happy that he was alive and smiling but mostly kissing me. The feeling of his lips against mine was the best. I felt safe and loved again.

"Roza, oh God Roza I thought I lost you." He said after we pulled away to breathe and then he started kissing me all over my face and I giggled.

"Dimitri… we're not alone" I said to him and then he seemed to realize where he was.

"Dimka!" Viktoria and his family came to the bed and started to kiss him and hug him and all that. I was actually very happy. He pulled me on the bed and kept me at his side with him.

"Thank you" Dimitri said to Oksana and she smiled at him. I was very grateful that she had been able to bring him back to me.

"Dimitri we need to tell you something" Oksana said looking sideways at me and Dimitri looked back and forth between us.

"What's wrong?" He asked confused and I sighed.

"There's something wrong with… the baby and me" I said and his expression quickly became concerned. He placed his hand on my belly and looked up to me.

"What's wrong Roza?" He asked and I couldn't stand seeing him all worried like this. I was already worried enough for both of us.

"I…" Thankfully Oksana continued.

"Dimitri the baby… she's not Damphir"

"She's human?" Dimitri asked surprised but I wish that she had been human.

"No" Oksana continued. "She's Moroi" Dimitri's eyes widened and his expression was definitely not surprised but troubled and almost scared.

"That's not possible…" He murmured in denial.

"I don't know how that's even possible but… it's true. That's not it though" I sighed waiting for Dimitri's disgust at seeing me. "Rose, she… she's changing too. She developed a new taste for blood and we think that it might be because of the baby. She needs blood to survive." Dimitri's jaw dropped and when he turned around to see me his eyes looked full of hurt and…something else that I didn't care to know what it was.

It might have been disgust but I didn't want to see it clouding his beautiful brown eyes so I looked down. "We just don't know for how long,"

"I think we should let them talk for now" Mark suggested and slowly everyone started to leave the room. Viktoria came and kissed Dimitri and me on the cheek before leaving.

"Everything will be fine, he'll understand" She whispered in my ear and then she left.

I sighed.

"Roza_…" I don't love you anymore you disgust me and I don't want to get married with you_, was what I was expecting but when I didn't look up he lifted my chip up to look at him.

"I didn't now, I swear and if you don't love me anymore…"He kissed me.

"Roza I don't care about the blood. Roza I love you and that will never change." His words brought tears to my eyes and he wiped them away.

"Dimitri I'm thirsty for blood and… I have fangs" I showed him the fangs but he didn't care.

"Roza I love you just the way you are" He was saying the truth and I knew it but I was still scare for being this new person and I didn't know how much I could take. The baby started to move again with Dimitri's nearness and he smiled running his fingers up and down my belly. It felt good to have him back.

"I missed you so much" I said against his chest as he leaned back against the pillows in a sitting position and he squeezed my shoulder.

"I thought I'd die when you were taken Roza and I went through hell the two weeks you weren't with me." His voice was full of pain.

"Dimitri let's just forget about it ok? The only thing that matters now is that we're fine and we can go on with our lives together here." That was what I wished the most but at the mention of staying here he stiffened. "What's wrong?"

"We need to talk about this Roza, let's go talk with your Mother alright?" He said softly caressing my cheek.

"What does my Mother have to do with this? Did she try to talk you into something?" He realized that I was getting angry and tried to calm me by giving me a quick, soft kiss on the lips. Didn't work that well though.

"Let's go… we need to talk about something else." He got up and we walked towards the living room downstairs holding hands. I didn't want to let go because I might have fallen down the stairs without his support and because I had miss his warmth and touch.

**I'm sorry for not updating in such a long time but now I'm here. I'm also reading Spirit bound, almost done, but I've been getting weird looks from people in the hallway whenever I gasp or look like an injured puppy because I cannont belive it! Dimitri is so fucking mean! But it gave me an idea for my story Lovely Rose with Thorns. Although I'm still shocked and I'm not sure I'll be able to keep wrting this story without remembering what really happened. I cannot picure Dimitri like that but his words are stuck in my head. I'm going to save the tears for when I get home, I don't want to give a spectacle of my self. Anyways, please tell me what you thought of Spirit bound and if, like me, you want to get in the book and shake some sense into Dimitri's head, or at least keep him sane and give him a kiss or two no matter how many Guardians are around. Maybe even go visit the Queen and have a talk with her (aka throw some punchs at her).**

**Please review more, I need lots of reviews to keep me happy and writing. Also, to keep you on edge let me tell you that I'm already writing the part where Roza gives birth to her baby, though is going to be a while till you see it because I have some other things in store for all of you before we reach such a happy part like that.**

**Could you guys leave me some books names to read? I'm running out of options. Help.**

**SEE you guys later and please don't forget to review, remember that its like pinching Dimitri's ass!**

**PS.**

**Tell me how you break up with your boyfriend, in a non mean way that won't hurt either of you. Need help, urgent. **


	11. Chapter 11

"**Let's go… we need to talk about something else." He got up and we walked towards the living room downstairs holding hands. I didn't want to let go because I might have fallen down the stairs without his support and because I had miss his warmth and touch.**

When we walked into the living room everyone was there. Viktoria was kind of smiling while talking to Adrian and he had this weird expression on his face of adoration which Viktoria seemed to be oblivious to.

Tasha was talking to Olena and Dimitri's sisters like they had been friends forever and are just catching up now. My Mother was talking very seriously with the other Moroi and hugging Lissa who was still crying next to my Mother. Christian was beside Lissa talking on the phone.

Everyone turned their attention to us when we walked in. My Mother's face remained illegible and hard when she saw me with Dimitri and for some strange reason the Moroi also seemed to have a problem. I looked at them smugly for being with Dimitri again and not caring what my Mother or whoever else was staring at us were thinking.

We sat on the couch and my Mother was the first one to hug me. It almost felt like a real hug. Since I woke up a couple of hours ago I didn't let anyone talk to me till Oksana and Mark were here. Oksana offered to finish healing me and I accepted gladly though she warned me that the baby was a whole new deal that she couldn't heal. So I still had to be careful with the pregnancy.

"Rose I'm glad you're back" She whispered in my ear but her voice wasn't warm and cozy like when Olena talked to me.

"Me too" I answered coldly and she stepped back.

Dimitri squeezed my hand gesturing me to be more polite so I forced a smile and he sighed.

"Rose I'm sorry" I got this feeling of déjà vu from when she came into Dimitri's room and shoved me against the wall like a rag doll. "I shouldn't have reacted the way I did before and I want you to know that I love you" She might have been waiting for tears, a real smile or something but that was definitely not going to happen. I might forgive her but I just don't forget.

"O.K. I love you too but you're going to have to accept who I want to be with and Dimitri is that someone." She looked like she wanted to bicker but she sighed and nodded looking not so nicely at Dimitri.

"I… We" She said glancing back at the Moroi. "Want you to come back to America with us. Both of you." She was crazy if she really thought I'd say yes.

"No, I'm not going back. I want to stay here with Dimitri and his family. I'm happier here that I've ever been in any other place." I said truthfully and my Mother threw a glance at Dimitri as if encouraging him to talk.

"We have to go back Roza… I already proved how capable of protecting you I am and I'm not testing that again by having you here unprotected. We have to go back." He didn't dare to look at me in the eye. I didn't want to have to go back to America. Where would we go? I'd be crazy to go to court and have to see the Queen Bitch every day, besides Lissa would be there and I was not ready to talk to her.

"No… Dimitri I don't want to go back. Besides where would we go? I'll be damned if I go to court with Queen Bit… Tatiana." I explained thinking that I had won but then the Moroi cleared his throat and I turned my attention to him.

He seemed very intimidating but I wasn't going to let him know that. I glared at him piercingly and he just smiled. No Moroi had even thought of my glare as funny, who the hell did he thought he was?

"I already arranged that. I'll provide you a house and Guardians patrolling at all times, consider it your wedding gift" He said looking at my ring. My Mother looked down and her eyes widened.

"You... you're getting married?" She asked me instead of Dimitri.

"Yes" He answered before I could reply something more inappropriate.

"Who the hell are you anyways? My damn fairy Godmother or something?" I said wanting to know the truth of this Moroi's generosity. I mean if he's my Mother's charge then there most be something going on between them.

"Roza! Don't talk to him… like that" Dimitri said. He was kind of acting weird around this Moroi.

"Rose he's Abe Mazur, your Father" Janine's words made me turned to her abruptly. Did she just say that he was… my Father?

"What the hell did you drink?" I asked her and she pressed her lips together.

"Rose I'm just telling you who your Father is, didn't you want to know?" She must have been trying to make a joke but failed miserably because the last thing I wanted to do was laugh.

"Yes but… he can't be" I said looking at him and then I realized that we did look alike. His skin and hair color were very much like mine. He dressed very formally and his clothes looked very expensive.

"He is, Roza" I looked at Dimitri who had the truth written all over his face and for the first time I believed my Mother but just because Dimitri had confirmed it. For the first time I looked at the Moroi like a Father but I just couldn't bring my self to say it. He smiled at me warmly and then he stood up with his arms open inviting me to hug him. I glanced at Dimitri who nodded with a small smile and helped to get up.

I took a step closer to Abe and hugged him. His embrace was comfortable and I felt like belonged there just like when I was in Dimitri's arms. It felt good to know who your Father is and have him with you.

"Kiz, I'm sorry I was never with you but your mother and I thought it would be better that way." Of course, Janine thought it would be good.

"I… Its ok… I think." I didn't know what else to say. I mean what should I say?

"I know it's not ok but… please allow me to give you protection and a place to live with… _him_." The way he said Dimitri's name was obvious he didn't like him that much. "And I'd really like to be a part of your life from now on… if you want that of course" I nodded because I really wanted him to be a part of my life. I wanted to have the opportunity to get to know him better and my baby to know who her grandfather is.

"I'd really like that" I said with a smile. He gave one last hug and we both sat down.

"The house is in Montana, close to the Academy though" That was fine with me so I looked at Dimitri and he shrugged.

"That's ok" I said resigned. There was nothing else I could do to make Dimitri or Janine that I wanted to stay here with Dimitri's family.

"I want to go with you Dimka" Viktoria said very determined and Dimitri turned his attention to his sister.

"Viktoria you have to go to school and…" Viktoria cut him off.

"I'll go to school at the academy, Mr. Mazur mentioned that the house was near the house is that right?" My Father nodded and Viktoria turned to Dimitri again. "See?"

"Mother?" Olena started a conversation with Dimitri and Viktoria in Russian so I didn't know what the hell they were talking. "Fine, I'll talk to headmistress Kirova about this and..." I cut him off.

"And she'll accept because she knows that Dimitri is the best Guardian so she'll be honored to have the next Belikov generation" I finished with a smile looking at Viktoria and when I turned to Dimitri he had a sad smile on his face.

"Perfect. I want to be close to you and Dimka Roza, I'll graduate this year and then I'll help you with the baby" She said very seriously and I nodded grateful that I'd have help with the baby.

"I'll take you back in my own jet, when would you have your stuff ready?" My Father asked and I sighed feeling more than defeated.

"We'll be ready for the day after tomorrow Mr. Mazur and we're grateful for your offer." Dimitri said politely. I looked at him with a What-the-hell? Look but he only shrugged.

"I'll be there for you Kiz, the whole time" My Father told me and a smile tugged at the corner of my mouth. I knew that from now on it would be almost impossible to get him if my back and somehow I loved the thought of having him around.

"Thank you" I replied and somehow I felt like my Mother wanted to tell me something so I turned to her. "What is it?" I asked her, my voice serious and with no trace of humor or anything.

"I'm your Father's Guardian" she said fondly and I sighed.

"It was expected." I said under my breath.

"I would have been there anyway Rose." I smiled at her, a small smile.

"We should go now Janine, I have calls to make and things to arrange" He explained getting up. I got help from Dimitri and I got up too to give him a hug. He embraced in his arms with love and tenderness and once again I experienced that belonging feeling.

"Will you come tomorrow or till we have to leave?"I asked silently praying that he'd come tomorrow to spend the day with me. He smiled.

"I'll come tomorrow if you want me to" I nodded grinning.

"I'd love it if you come" He smiled too.

"It's settled then" He kissed me goodbye and then left with my Mother by his side. Before she left I gave her a hug.

I looked around the room and looked at Christian and Lissa. They were still talking but I had the urge to go and talk to her.

"Go Roza, I'll come back to you when you're done" He said from behind me and before unwrapping his arms from around my waist he kissed my cheek and then he left.

I sighed and walked over to my friend and her boyfriend knowing that I had a lot to apologize for and probably some begging to do. She had been my BFF since we re little but she had also been like a sister to me. But she had also become some sort of obstacle between Dimitri and me back at the academy. It had been mainly the fact that I was supposed to be her Guardian the reason why Dimitri and I hadn't been able to get our relationship to the next level. She had been our priority before the attack. After the attack Dimitri and me opened our eyes to see that life was something we had to live before it was over or cut short by someone else. Besides we love each other so much that we both left our duties as Guardians just so we'd be able to have a normal relationship by living among humans where we wouldn't be judged just because he was older than me and because we were both Damphirs.

Lissa let me go easily but I think that I still hold against her Dimitri's lack of confidence back at the academy and me holding back because I felt that somehow I had to be with her forever.

"Liss" I said in a small voice and she quickly turned around. She was confused , sad, depressed and guilty all at the same time and through our bond I could feel some darkness in her that was getting very bad for her to manage. But I was not going to take it from her this time. I felt it, the darkness I mean, trying to make its way into my body but I blocked Lissa's emotions from mine like I had been doing for the past couple of months. I wasn't going to endanger my life or the baby's for my Friend's. Not anymore.

"Rose I… I'm sorry" she cried and then tears began to run down her cheeks. I could only hug her and comfort her because I knew what she was feeling and also because I felt guilty for yelling at her earlier.

"Liss everything's ok between us ok? I'm sorry what I said early. I didn't really mean it you know? I had been very… worried for Dimitri and I snapped like a twig." I explained her as I patted her back. That seemed to calm her down a bit and she stopped crying long enough to pull back and look at me. I don't know what she saw in my eyes but it seemed to convince her.

"I thought you hated me Rose, I thought that you didn't want to be my friend anymore and I… I couldn't bear the though. Rose I love you like a sister… I'm sorry" She knew my reasons and I think that she heard very clearly what I yelled at her.

"Calm down Liss, 'Kay?" She nodded but I could still sense the darkness inside her.

"Rose… she has darkness… can you help her?" Christian pleaded me and I answered with a firm "No" at the same time Dimitri said the same thing from across the room. Christian's face darkened and he looked at me like I was some sort of bad person.

"She's been like this because of you. She was so worried about you and now you don't want to help her?" He said mad at me but I wasn't going to let guilt take over.

"I won't do it because I'm pregnant and if I take the darkness from her I don't know what I would do and that would risk my baby" I explained to him and he was about to keep going when Lissa interrupted him.

"I'm fine and she's right. She shouldn't take anything from me now" She looked so tired and worn out. "Let's go back to the hotel please, I'm very exhausted." She said and the exhaustion was obvious in her voice so Christian nodded.

Christian and Lissa left after saying their goodbyes.

I walked back to the living room where everyone was and sat on the couch. Dimitri was nowhere in sight, he must be in the kitchen. Oksana and Mark sat in front of me and as if I had yelled his name Dimitri came from the kitchen with Tasha behind him. She smiled at me, a real smile that told me she was happy to see me and I returned the smile with warmth.

Dimitri kissed Tasha on the cheek before she waved her goodbye to me and left and then Dimitri came and sat next to me.

"So now that you're going back we think that things will go ok with you and your baby Rosemarie." Mark began with a thoughtful expression. "I don't see what could go wrong if you are going to be Guarded and probably with feeders." Feeders. I shivered at the thought of sinking my fangs into someone else's throat and treat them like cattle. But it was for my baby so I'd probably do it but I wasn't going to like it.

"Don't worry Roza" Dimitri murmured in my ear reassuringly.

"We won't be able to visit anymore so this is our goodbye" Oksana continued and we said our goodbyes before they too left.

In the living room was only Adrian talking very excitedly with Viktoria and both of them were looking a little too thrilled about something or whatever they were talking about. Dimitri sighed watching them and I felt a pang of guilt for not telling him before about Viktoria's break up with Nikolai.

We both sat on the couch, well I actually sat on his lap and I must have looked very big.

"You knew didn't you?" I knew what he was talking about of course.

"She told me and made me promise not to say anything. I couldn't betray her trust." I answered looking into his eyes and sinking deeper into his warm brown eyes.

"I understand" He said also gazing at me adoringly.

Paul came running and gave Adrian a pillow and a blanket and Adrian smiled and messed up Paul's hair. Those two looked like they were old friends or something.

"He likes him?" I asked in disbelief.

"Well, Paul has his charm…" I cut him off.

"I mean that I can't believe Paul likes Adrian, he can be a pain in the ass when someone first meets him" I said joking and Dimitri chuckled.

"I know what you mean and before you ask he's staying here on the couch. He's been here since… what happened and I actually learned how do deal with him. I only thank God that he hasn't been drinking or smoking in front of Paul"

"He's been sober?" I asked not wanting to believe it.

"As surprising as it sounds he has." Dimitri also sounded surprised that that was even possible. "And all because of you" He finished and when I looked into his eyes I didn't see any of the jealousy or hatred that he felt whenever he was talking about Adrian. Instead there was gratitude. "He helped get you back Roza because he saw you as a friend and only that I no longer feel anything else but gratitude." He was telling the truth I could tell and I leaned closer to give him a kiss.

"You never had any reasons for not liking him, I never felt anything for him that wasn't love for a friend." I said teasingly and he laughed.

"Roza don't get me started…" He said chuckling and trailing kisses along my jaw and neck.

"I will get you started… let's go to bed its late" I said enthusiastically and he laughed.

We said good night to Dimitri's family and Adrian. Adrian was rather very interested in whatever Viktoria was saying and they were both very engrossed with each other laughing at their jokes and listening to each other's stories.

As Dimitri and I made our way towards our bedroom I couldn't stop thinking about the glances those two exchanged. Adrian wasn't the type of guy to get lost in a girl's eyes or gaze at her adoringly. Something was going ton and I think I know what it was. It was rather obvious actually.

When we were finally inside our bedroom I locked the door and then turned around to kiss Dimitri. He placed his hands on my hips and I placed my hands on his shoulders to keep him very close to me.

"I love you" I said and he stopped kissing me to look at in the eyes.

"I love you too, more than I thought I could love someone" Then he started kissing me again but hungrily and we both knew where this would probably lead to and I didn't want to stop. I spent time away from him and I wanted to make it up to both of us.

We both had in our minds the baby I was sure of that so he laid me on the bed gently, never taking his lips off mine or his hands off my body, which were suddenly wandering and caressing all over my body with love. I was so eager to take this to the next step but I also wanted to take my time with him.

We had been away from each other so I needed him and desired him. I removed my hands from his neck and started to slide his shirt over his head and tossed it aside. His lips found their way back to my mouth as he unbuttoned my jeans and also tossed them aside leaving me shivering from the cold but then I tangled my legs with his and I noticed that he still had his pants on so I started to take them off.

He helped me taking them completely off including his boxers. I ran my hands up and down his bare back making him shudder. I was still wearing my underwear and shirt so he took them off.

The feeling of his skin against mine send waves of fire through me making me want him even more, loving him even more, if that was possible. He was lifting most of his weight off me with his knees so I took advantage and wrapped my legs around his waist. He lifted me up and placed me on the middle of the bed with him hovering over me. I felt so safe and desirable in his arms.

He trailed kisses along my jaw and downward to my chest and breasts that somehow looked incredible better than before thanks to the pregnancy and were now the center of his attention. I held onto him letting him have his fun while I enjoyed but soon enough I was being consumed by the need of feeling him inside me and filling the emptiness I felt without him.

"Dimitri… please…" I pleaded and he made a sound low in his throat.

He went back to kissing me on the lips while we became one and the filling of him was overwhelming that I forgot even my name in those precious moments that I was sharing with him. I held on to him as if my life depended on it and then my mouth found its way to nibble at his neck and I could feel the pulse beneath his skin, the blood rushing through his veins.

Our breathing quickened when we were over the edge and at the same time we both found our release I sank my teeth into his flesh and he gasped surprised.

This wasn't the first time I had tasted his sweet blood but it felt like it was the first time all over again because this time it tasted sweeter and richer. It was like heaven. I didn't want to stop drinking because it was so delicious. I could feel his blood getting into my system and running through my own veins.

The baby felt it too because suddenly she started moving around enjoying the flavor just like I was. The pulse wasn't getting any weaker, it was still steady but I was very eager to keep drinking so I rolled over leaving Dimitri beneath and I was about to sink my teeth harder when I remembered.

Dimitri.

I was drinking from Dimitri and without permission or even warning. The whole time he never let go of my hips. He gripped them tighter and with little will power I had I managed to get away from him.

"Dimitri…? I'm… Dimitri!" He was looking at me in the eyes and he seemed hypnotized so I had to shake him a little to bring him back. He blinked several times and then his hand flew to his neck touching the two puncture marks that my fangs left on his neck. There was still blood but it was closing.

"Roza…" He said, his voice incredulous. I felt guilty for doing it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bite you but I was hungry and…" He wiped away what must have been some blood from the corner of my mouth and cupped my cheek with the same hand.

Slowly and never tearing his eyes off me he moved me to his side. He wanted to keep watching me but I rolled to my side with my back to him not being able to look at him in the eyes anymore. Without looking at him I could tell that he was hurt by my sudden detachment towards him. But he didn't argue or anything, instead he only held me closer to him with his hand running up and down my belly.

I found the feeling of his hands soothing and it made feel a little bit better and not so disgusted with my self. It was still a shame the fact that this beautiful night with him where our need for each other was so strong that we gave in for a wonderful night that ended up in disaster. I shouldn't have bitten him, now he must hate me for almost treating him like a blood whore.

The fact that he wasn't pulling away from me disgusted with what I just did to him made me feel guiltier. But it was also giving me hope that someday he might be able to forgive me and not hate me for the rest of his life.

Slowly with horrible thoughts I fell asleep in his arms.

**Sorry for disapearing for so long but I was kind of busy writing my own book. I was also wondering if you guys would like to read an alternative universe where Rose and Dimitri are humans instead of Damphirs and they meet in ormal circumstances someplace to later discover that he'd be her teacher when she goes back to school. Do you guys like that?**

**Please review and I'll update as soon as I can.**


	12. Chapter 12

**Slowly with horrible thoughts I fell asleep in his arms.**

The next day I woke up feeling amazing and well rested. I was actually in a good mood because when I opened my eyes I realized how well I could see everything much better than I had before and I was very aware of the steady beating of a heart right behind me. I could also feel his warmth and smooth skin against my back that made me feel like I was in heaven.

I could feel his warm breath against my skin. His arm was keeping me close to him and his hands were cradling my belly possessively. I smiled. Our legs were tangled in each others and it was practically in heaven.

I sighed happily and rolled to my other side to face Dimitri. He sighed but didn't open his eyes when I started kissing him from his chest all the way up to his neck. I nibbled at his earlobe and he moaned. Then I opened my eyes and made my way back to my neck.

I gasped when I saw the two puncture marks in his neck that were still visible but healing. Tears started to fall down my cheeks and I let out a sob. This time Dimitri did open his eyes and stared at me. His deep brown eyes were sad.

"Roza…" He began but I didn't want to listen to his speech on how much he hated me and didn't want to see me anymore. So I tried to get out of his grip and get up but he caught me by the waist and brought me back to sit on the bed. He propped up on one elbow and didn't let go of my hips. The baby was kicking and it was bothering me.

"Dimitri I'm sorry… please don't hate me. I didn't mean to do it…" I began trying to make him understand but he shook his head.

"Roza you couldn't help it. It wasn't your fault this happened," He touched his neck with one hand vaguely. "besides we don't know much when it comes to this Moroi business with you. You're not an expert on this yet and I don't hate you…" I gaped at him not knowing if I understood correctly what he meant.

Did he just tell me that he didn't hate me that he still loved me? This didn't made me feel any better it only made me angrier because he was probably still with me because he felt pity.

I stood up so abruptly and fast that he looked at me startled.

"Why don't you hate me? Why aren't you yelling at me or something? You don't have to pretend that you understand and be comprehensive about it! Dimitri this is worse than yelling you're only making me feel worse for what I've done." I walked over to the dresser and pull out a nightgown to put it on because I was very aware of my nakedness and that probably certain parts of my body were distracting him.

As I pulled it over my face and when I opened my eyes again Dimitri was now in front of me wearing only his boxers. It was very hard for me to tear my eyes away from his exposed and chiseled chest, his broad shoulders and beautiful deep brown eyes.

"Roza I thought that I told you why. I understand you and know that you didn't do it on purpose. You would never do anything that would hurt either of us." He leaned down closer to me and whispered the next words in my ear.

My breathing sped up by having him so close. "And Roza I love you, don't you understand my feelings for you at all? Didn't you believe me all the times I told you that I loved you? I couldn't possible hate you even if you decided to be with another man and decided to go." His explanation made so much sense and I knew he loved me but I just couldn't believe that he didn't resent me for using him as a blood whore.

"But I… drank from you and used you like a blood whore" He winced a little but neither of us pulled away from each other.

"Roza I don't… care." He managed to say breathlessly but I knew that it did bother him. "Its better if you bite me instead of going around biting someone else like your family or mine" He was right like always.

"But…" He cut me off.

"But nothing Roza. Besides we'll be at the house your Father has for us in two days and you might not need more blood, you might be able to resist till we get to the house where there will be probably feeders…" That was disgusting to me.

"I don't want to have to drink other people's blood… its disgusting," He chuckled a little and I realized what I had said might have offended him. "Except yours of course, Dimitri your blood was… amazing. So sweet and rich that I… it was just amazing." Did that sounded as creepy as I thought? But he just chuckled.

"Roza, what I'm I going to do with you?" He said just before he bent down and kissed me.

He took me in his arms and walked back to the bed where we laid there together. I rested my head on his shoulder and he put his arm around my shoulder keeping me close to him. His other hand was stroking my belly lovingly and I melted into his touch. I ran my hand up and down his chest just to tease him but he didn't seem that much affected as I was for his touch.

That was so not fair. So the smart ass I was I started to go even more down to the hem of his boxers and up again. His hand on my belly stopped suddenly and I smiled to my self but didn't stop toying with him. I moved my hand down and up again but a little bit lower. His hand was still frozen in place but this time a groan slipped his mouth and I couldn't help but giggle, pleased with my self that I could make Dimitri Belikov groan.

"Roza…" My name in his lips felt like a soft caress.

"Dimitri I love you" I said and then his mouth was on mine kissing me fiercely.

We didn't go farther than that though because someone knocked on the door and we had to pull apart. I was the one wearing more clothes so I got up no before Dimitri complained but I won so I opened the door.

"Rose I…" Adrian looked at me from head to toe and then his usual smirk was back on his face. I made a very bad imitation of my own scowl because he was just such a good friend. "Well if aren't you wearing only this… I can't imagine what you did, or rather didn't do, to keep us all up last night you know?" I blushed but didn't look down or anything.

"Really Ivashkov? Didn't mean to, but don't be this sad I'm pretty sure that you'll be keeping us tonight, where is Tasha?" I meant that as a joke but his smile faltered a bit. Then I remembered that last night Tasha left but Adrian didn't. Did they break up?

"We're just friends." Then his smirk was back. "But don't worry about me little Damphir. I just came here to tell you that lunch is ready and you should come down to eat." Lunch? What time it was? "Its twelve o'clock." He answered chuckling and then he left.

I turned around and went back to Dimitri closing the door behind me.

He wasn't in the room anymore but I heard the shower so I took off my clothes and went into the bathroom. I could see his silhouette through the glass door and I was very excited for it. Slowly I opened the door and went in. Dimitri's eyes widened but then he smiled at me and he pulled me close to him.

The hot water of the shower was pounding on my back but it was very nice just like his hands on my small back. The bathroom was kind of small and the three of us, including the baby between us, kept us very close together. I didn't mind being this close to Dimitri but I was uncomfortable because the baby was moving around and Dimitri was feeling it too so he placed his hand on my belly and caressed it.

"She's so much bigger" Dimitri murmured in my ear and it took me a sec to realize that he was talking about my belly. "I wish I had been there to see it." I hadn't realized it but he was right. Over the two weeks I was in that hellhole the baby had grown significantly and now my belly was really sticking out like a mountain from a flat surface. "Soon we'll be able to hold her" that was what I wanted the most, to hold our baby in my arms but we still had about two and a half months to wait.

"Yes" I said breathlessly.

We finished our shower and we dressed to go get breakfast. In the kitchen Viktoria and Adrian were chatting very close to each other that they almost seemed like a couple or something but that was just insane. Damn hormones making me paranoid. Karolina and Paul gave Dimitri and I a bright smile just like Olena. Yeva was absent today, just like most of the days.

Dimitri and I sat side by side like always and we started eating pancakes that Olena cooked for us. I ate about six before I was full and Dimitri ate nearly fifteen, I'm not sure because I lost count after the tenth one.

"Roza do you need help packing?" Viktoria asked cheerfully and I looked over to Dimitri.

"I'll help her Viktoria but thanks, I'm sure Adrian here wants to help you though" Dimitri had been joking because he knew how lazy and self-centered Adrian was but when Adrian smiled and nodded Dimitri's smirk vanished.

"I'd be glad to, let's go Viktoria" Both of them got up and walked upstairs. Dimitri stared after them with his mouth hanging open.

"I thought he'd… refuse" Dimitri said and I laughed, so did Karolina and Olena.

"He's a good and nice boy don't you think Karolina?" Said Olena smiling and I couldn't believe that someone had said something that good about him.

"What? You really think that? I'm not saying he's not because I'm sure that way deep inside he has something good but…" I shrugged.

"Viktoria seems to like him very much, you know Dimka?" Karolina's sense of humor didn't seem to amuse Dimitri because he scowled.

"Dimitri let's go packing, my Father will be here today and maybe we'll have time to go out with him." He nodded and we both left to go upstairs and start packing. I heard Karolina say something about Adrian but I wasn't really sure what it was so I ignored it and kept on going with Dimitri.

When I opened the closet and started throwing all the clothes on the bed Dimitri chuckled and took them from me.

"Roza that's not how you pack" He said sweetly at me.

"Then how do you do it Mr. Belikov?" I replied smiling and crossing my arms over my chest.

"See and learn" then he started with my clothes.

He folded them as small as possible and put them in the suitcase. He finished packing one suitcase and he managed to pack almost half of my wardrobe, something that I probably wouldn't have managed because I just throw the clothes inside carelessly.

This man could do anything and make it look easy. I loved him so much not just for that but for his strong character and charisma. Though when we met he hadn't been the most charismatic person in the world. Now that we both knew each other more than well, emotionally and physically, we were even happier that we thought we'd be.

I helped him by bringing out clothes from the closet and dresser, though I blushed when I had to take my underwear to him to pack. He took it with a knowing smile. He hadn't gotten the chance to see me in my see-through night gowns that I brought with me and some that I bough while shopping with Viktoria. The two that he actually got to see before my belly got too big for me to wear them anymore made him more than happy.

**APOV**

"Roza do you need help packing?" Viktoria asked Rose very cheerfully and I had to suppress a laugh. Everyone here seemed to call her Roza, instead of Rose. It was rather funny. She didn't seem to mind at all. I guess that she got so used to Dimitri calling her like that that now she hardly noticed when someone else called her that. The other option was the Dimitri might have said Roza instead of Rose when he introduced them. That should have been it.

Rose looked over at Dimitri.

"I'll help her Viktoria but thanks, I'm sure Adrian here wants to help you though" Dimitri said smiling and daring me to say no. He knew that I wasn't a gentleman and would probably say that I didn't like packing or that I'd rather do something else but there were two reasons why I wasn't going to say no. 1) It was helping the beautiful Viktoria and I wasn't an idiot to waste anytime with her, 2) He seemed to expect me to decline so I had to do it but even if he hadn't said anything I would have offered to help Viktoria.

So I smirked and nodded. "I'd be glad to, let's go Viktoria" I took her arm and we both walked towards the staircase to her room.

I heard Dimitri say something like, "I thought he'd… refuse" But I couldn't be sure, maybe I was just imagining things and was hearing his discomfort because I wanted to.

I had nothing against him anymore, I actually never had anything against him. I just liked to tease Rose and Dimitri was the only thing that would go past that wall she had around herself. Rose had been the first woman that made think twice about my feelings for. Before her it had only been flings

and that was it. I didn't blame her for not wanting to get into a relationship with me.

But with Viktoria… Well my feelings were more than strong. She was some sort of light that illuminated my path. I hadn't had the need to drink or smoke in a couple of days. The effects of Spirit weren't having effects on me as strong as before.

"So you really wanted to help or did you just volunteered to bother Dimka" Ah, smart girl.

I smiled at her and a little bit at the fact that I couldn't get over the weird nickname for Dimitri. Dimka was so… girlish? No, it wasn't girlish but it wasn't very manly either. Rose was so into her own little world where only she and Dimitri existed that she probably didn't care about the silly pet name. She still called him Dimitri and not Dimi, or Dimka.

"I was going to volunteer anyways, _Dimitri's_ comment," I emphasized Dimitri just to let her know that I wasn't very comfortable about Dimka. "didn't have anything to do with my decision of helping a damsel in distress." I slightly vowed for her and she laughed.

I found my self looking at her adoringly and would have stayed that way if it hadn't been for the fact that I reminded my self that I promised to take it slow with her. So I changed into a lazy grin.

"Right" she said chuckling not believing a word I said.

She opened the door of Paul's room, which was where she had been staying since Dimitri and Rose came here and Dimitri took over his room once again. Half of the room was covered by posters and all that while the other half was bare. At first I thought that Viktoria's half was the one that was bare but instead of going and opening the dresser that was on the bare but she opened the dresser on the other side.

I was impressed so I looked closely at the posters and realized to my amusement that they were band boys and other 'super hot' guys as girls liked to put it.

"Are you just going to stand there staring at those guys or help me pack? Because of you prefer to watch them then I'd probably think that you play for the other team." She said teasingly and I smiled at that because I definitely did not play for the 'other team'.

"I'll help you" She smiled and then started to fold her clothes into small squares that were nicely folded. This family was clean freaks. I could only imagine the way Dimitri would probably be folding his underwear. I couldn't help my self and I let out a laugh.

Viktoria turned to me and smiled.

"What's so funny?" she asked but I wasn't going to give away my private joke so I only shook my head.

"Nothing I just… nothing."

We spent a good forty five minutes packing and she occasionally would start a conversation. Only talking about silly things and I would ask her personal questions like, what's your favorite color? That sort of things and she'd answer solemnly like it was something serious.

Suddenly when we were about to go out and go for a walk we heard someone screaming. It didn't took me long to realize who was screaming. Rose's scream was unique and piercing. There was no doubt it was her but why would she scream like that?

Maybe she was having a good time with Dimitri? I had been joking in the morning when I made that comment of her and Dimitri keeping us at night thinking that maybe she'd get mad or simply roll her eyes at me but when she confirmed it I couldn't believe those two.

Viktoria and I exchanged worried glances before storming out of her room and running down the hall towards Dimitri's room. I got there first and I couldn't believe what I saw. Rose was on a corner looking frightened and Dimitri was kneeling in front of the bed looking for something under the bed.

I must have been gaping or something because when Rose met my eyes she scowled at me but when she saw Viktoria behind me her face softened a bit and I could tell she was embarrassed that we had heard her.

"What's wrong?" I asked a little amused and with a smile tugging at the corners of my mouth. Rose turned her attention back to me and glared again. Dimitri glanced at us from the floor but didn't say anything.

"You're a Moroi and you can hear better so come here and help me find the little brat" Dimitri said smiling at me but his back was to Rose so she wouldn't see him smiling. I rolled my eyes and kneeled beside him not knowing what he wanted to find.

"I don't touch other man's underwear if that's what you were looking for" I joked and this time he rolled his eyes. Wow, such a normal thing to do and it seemed weird on him. I guess that I've always imagined him like the Guardian he was and not like a person.

"Roza saw a mouse go under the bed…" Rose snorted.

"A mouse? It was a rat!" She exclaimed like it was big deal. Viktoria squealed and ran to Rose.

"You saw that thing too? Oh my God I thought it was already dead. Adrian look for that thing and kill it!" She ordered and Dimitri and I only stared at the girls for being so unreasonable. A simply mouse, or rat, couldn't hurt anybody.

I exchanged glances with Dimitri and looked under the bed. My vision was better than the Damphirs and my hearing too so I spotted the thing quickly. It was hiding at the far corner and it looked so scared that I decided to be the one to catch it.

"Dimitri go that way and make it come this way so I'll get it" I said with a sigh.

Dimitri moved where I told him to and the rat came the way I thought it would. It was very easy to catch it and when I did I got up holding it in my hands.

"See? Its harmless." Rose and Viktoria looked at me in horror as if I had suddenly turned into a Strigoi.

"Get that thing out of here!" Viktoria said and the look on her face told me that she probably would kill the poor thing.

"Fine." I walked over to the window and dropped it. The rat landed safely and ran away from the house probably thinking that this was some sort of madhouse.

Rose and Viktoria sighed relieved.

"Thank you" Dimitri said amused and I grinned.

"No problem. When I heard her scream I thought I might be interrupting something… hot, but I had to know there was nothing wrong. I considered that maybe she screamed because she didn't like what…" Rose slapped my arm with too much force causing me to flinch and I saw Viktoria fighting for control. Poor girl she probably was laughing inside so hard.

"See? You make Viktoria laugh, you must get that reaction a lot when the girls see what's in your pants" Rose said with sarcasm and this time Viktoria couldn't stop laughing. I thought she might die or something but Dimitri didn't seem concerned because he was also laughing. It was kind of creepy see him laugh.

"Actually Rose I get…" Dimitri cut me off.

"Stop it… please… we can't… breathe" He said gesturing at his sister. Dimitri and Viktoria were kind of bluish from all the laughing and were clutching at their sides.

"Fine," I said very amused. "I'll go get something from the kitchen and let you guys die in piece." I walked over to Rose and gave her a hug, a friendly one of course because I was very aware of the dangerous Russian guy and his beautiful sister standing close by. As soon as I hugged her I felt a kick coming from her belly and when I looked down I frowned.

"She still doesn't like you Adrian" Rose announced grinning.

I couldn't understand why this little creature inside Rose could hate me so much as to not want me anywhere near her or her Mother. She didn't even know me! Now you're making so much sense Adrian, getting mad at an unborn child. Maybe I was finally going crazy because of the Spirit effects.

"She'll like me when she meets me, everyone does." I answered returning her grin and I realized that Dimitri and Viktoria weren't laughing anymore.

Dimitri was smiling though and Viktoria was still trying to breathe.

"The baby has never liked Adrian, Dimitri can you believe it?" She said faking horror.

"I would have never imagined such a thing my love" His answer made something in my stomach clench. I wished I could call Viktoria like that and kiss her just the way Dimitri was doing right now, hold her in my arms and…

"Let's go Adrian we have to finish" Viktoria said. "We still need to take my posters off the walls and place them in my shoulder bag."

So I followed Viktoria to her room and helped her. Yes, I would be there for her even if she didn't want me the same way I wanted her. I needed to ask her, and it had to be soon. Because I already had arranged a guest room at the Academy to be close to her, so we could be together for the time she was at the Academy and till she graduated.

Maybe even after graduation too, she could become my Guardian or we could get back over here like Rose and Dimitri did so she wouldn't be away from her family. I knew what her grandma thought about being a Guardian and all that.

But I was thinking too far ahead.

**I hope you liked this chapter even though I made Rose act like a normal teenager, sorry but I just got that idea after I was fighting with my aunt about not killing the poor mouse I found in her closet. You should have seen her face when I grabbed it by its tail and put it in front of her face! It was priceless! Anyways tell me if you liked it or not, I thought it was funny. Also tell me what you think about Adrian and viktoria falling in love? I think its a good idea, I'm sure you'll like to read the part where Dimitri finds out, wouldn't you? Ha! I would.**

**Random question.**

**What would you do if you find dimitri walking down the street?**

**I was talking with my friend about that and we came up with a really awesome answer.**

**We'd jump on him and kidnap him, because we know he wouldn't hurt us knowing we're just two crazy and very mad at him human girls for dumping rose the way he did in SB, and take him to a room. then we'd call Rose and tell her where he is, so they can make up. the room would have to be soundproof so they could have some privacy during their make up cession. We would probably be able to restrain ourselves from making a move, becaus he'd be chained to the wall and unable to do anything, sounds a bit too bad? I don't think so. I love him but what he did to Rose was just very wrong. **

**anyhow, please just tell me your answers about what you'd do if you find Dimitri walking down the street. Its against the rules to do the same I'd do, just ocme up with something better or crazier. Like what if your parents are there? Or something like that. I'd be happy to hear about all that and maybe it would inspire me for a chapter.**

**Don't forget to review if you want another chapter tomorrow, I want a bunch of reviews!**

**Love y'all**


	13. Chapter 13

**RPOV**

When I heard the door bell I smiled. Dimitri was on his feet and walking towards the door to open it. We both knew that my Father had to patience when it came to waiting. Besides I was very excited to have him here with me. Dimitri came back with my Father and Mother. They hugged me and kissed my cheek, then settled on the couch in front of me. Dimitri sat next to me and put an arm around my shoulders.

"Rose where would you like to go?" My Father asked me with a smile.

"I don't know, where could we go Dimitri?" He thought about it for a minute.

"We can go and have dinner at this restaurant that's in downtown" He suggested and my parents nodded.

I spent the rest of the day with my Father and Mom, and Dimitri of course. We went to eat at the restaurant Dimitri suggested and we talked a lot. My Father seemed to find amusing the fact that Dimitri wasn't very comfortable around him.

"So Dimitri," My Father began not bother with formability's. "When is it going to be the wedding? I take that you already propose to her and she said yes but do you have a date?" Both of my parents looked at Dimitri expectantly.

"Roza and I haven't talk about it yet. But I'm sure that soon after the baby's born we'll be able to start thinking about it because I don't want her stressing over wedding plans just yet. I don't think that it would be healthy for her or the baby" Dimitri smiled at me and I returned the smile wanting to give him a kiss but somehow I didn't think that it would please my parents to see me kissing him and I really didn't want any arguments.

"Besides I don't want to look like a cow for my wedding picture." I said and Dimitri frowned.

"Roza how many times do I have to remind you that you don't look like a cow? You are the most beautiful person in the world for me" He kissed my cheek.

"Anyhow, I think that the least I can do is also help you with the wedding. Rose you can pick the date whenever you want but just tell me so I can hire someone else to help you plan your wedding. I'll be delighted to pay for everything." {

"I can't let you do that Dad, I just can't" I said frowning. I wouldn't simply let him pay for everything, it was not fair.

"Sir, with respect, we have to decline your offer. I have enough money saved from the years I was a Guardian and I think that if I get a job as Guardian again I might be able to pull-off the wedding." Dimitri suggested solemnly and I gave him a small smile.

I knew Dimitri and was very sure that once he had his mind on something he wouldn't just back off but I certainly didn't like the idea of him having to be a Guardian again. We'd have to talk about it later.

My Father however didn't seem convinced.

"Would you be able to pull-off the wedding at a salon with a big celebration and a wedding dress from a designer with your Guardian salary?" He asked condescendingly knowing the answer already. Dimitri's jaw clenched and he slowly shook his head. My Mother snickered and I shot her a sharp look.

"Didn't think so Dimitri and I want my daughter's wedding to be perfect for her. You can pull-off the honeymoon if you want and if you have enough money." My Father wasn't trying to be mean or anything, I knew that, but the way he said it made Dimitri put his Guardian mask back on. This could only mean on thing: he was feeling threatened and was closing in again. I didn't like it one bit. So I interfered.

"Dad, I don't want a big wedding at a salon with a big celebration and a designer's wedding gown. I only want what Dimitri can afford and if it's not much I'm ok with it. We love each other and for me that's enough" My Dad's face softened but he was stubborn.

"Kiz, I want that day to be perfect for you" He said reaching from across the table and took my hand.

"Rose I don't know you that well, but I know that any girl dreams of a big wedding." My Mother said smiling at me.

But I didn't want a big wedding that costs a big fortune if Dimitri wouldn't be comfortable in it because that day was supposed to be the best day of our lives and we are supposed to enjoy it together. He probably wouldn't feel comfortable if he knew that he wouldn't have put anything in the wedding. Men are so bigheaded but I understood him anyways.

"Well then let me tell you that this is not your average girl your dealing with Mom. Dad I really don't need any of that. I'm sure that I'll be just as happy with or without a big wedding. Please just let it go." I said and both of them frowned but let it go. For now.

We kept on talking about things like how I had been feeling and if the baby was alright. That sort of thing that parents would normally ask when their daughter was pregnant and young. My Mother even told me that when she had been pregnant the nausea remained with her during the whole pregnancy and I made a mental note to try to be nicer to her. After all Janine Hathaway didn't open to almost anybody. I was also relieved that it wasn't the same case with me because I had stopped throwing up when I was about four months pregnant.

Dimitri didn't talk much but he was polite and smiled when it was necessary. Even my Father couldn't resist making fun of Dimitri.

"So, guys are you planning on having more babies?" Dimitri's eyes widened and he looked at me for reassurance that my Father was serious.

"I… We don't know yet. I mean the baby isn't even born yet" Exactly what I had thought when he mentioned having more babies after this baby was born only because he liked the way I looked pregnant. Men were so damn demanding, one wasn't even born yet and they were already thinking about more. I'd really enjoy seeing one of them go through the pregnancy without wanting to kill themselves.

"Hmm. When exactly did you get pregnant Rose? Before or after you turned eighteen?" Dimitri's face and mine drained of color and we looked at each other. My Mother made a weird noise between a snicker and growl that even scared the shit out of me.

Besides it was weird that my Father was asking these sorts of questions.

"Before… but I don't think that's any of your business Dad" I answered sweetly and I saw him smile to himself.

"You're right but I had to ask and the look on your faces was priceless. I don't care anyways. I was just trying to lighten the mood. Dimitri seemed tense" Oh this man was awesome. So much like me, it was like an older and manly version of me.

"I'm fine but I don't think that that would have ever lightened my mood sir" Dimitri said slightly dazed and letting out a nervous laugh, then he tucked a lock of hair behind his ear but his hair didn't seem to want to stay there. My Father burst out laughing at the same time my Mother did. This was turning out to be an almost normal dinner with my parents, my mother was even being nice.

We kept on eating and talking. We had a great time and Dimitri relaxed once again. I was enjoying my self in along time since they brought me back. The days Dimitri stayed unconscious were the worst of my life and when he finally woke up it's like I was brought back to life.

I pushed those depressing thoughts away and tried to concentrate on whatever my Mother was saying.

**VPOV**

I tried to keep my face straight while Adrian was helping me take off the posters. I didn't want to let him know the fact that his prescience in here with me was affecting me the way it was. I didn't know what to say or do. Would it be out of place if I start talking, or should he be the one to start a conversation?

I was very frustrated with my self for not being able to function whenever the guy was around. I mean he was sexy as hell and a very good person to have around though he looked kind of somber. Every time he smiled I knew that there was something wrong with him, his smiles didn't reach his eyes.

"Done" He exclaimed stretching and yawning. I put the last poster down and straightened, looking at Adrian. His gaze was fixed on mine and we were so close. I could feel his hot breathing against my cheek.

I remembered the kiss we shared just a couple of days ago and the way his lips had felt against mine. I couldn't shake that thought away because I wanted it to repeat it self right now. I wanted to feel his lips against mine once again and his arms around my waist I… wanted him.

Realization hit me and made take a step back. I liked Adrian, more than a friend. I was developing feelings that I shouldn't feel for him at all. The guy was Roza's friend and for what Roza told me he was, or had been, in love with her. Then when he came here he was Tasha, Dimka's friend.

He didn't look like one of those foolish Moroi that liked to only go get sex at a Damphir community and then leave. He didn't look like one but then I didn't know him that well, I had only known him a couple of weeks. How could I know if he was only playing with me, and how could I know if I was ready to get involved with someone now?

"Adrian…" I began with a shaky voice that gave me away. He seemed to have problems breathing or something and then he took a deep calming breath as he ran his hand through his hair. He seemed frustrated.

"Don't say anything Viktoria, I understand it was wrong for me to… push you into this" I was glad he understood but at the same time worried because I felt guilt tug at my heart for hurting him the way I did. The fact that he was so understanding and good, confirmed that I had been wrong for thinking bad of him. I needed to make amends.

"Its ok, I'm sorry I've been so distant since what happened the other night… the kiss I mean." Something flickered in Adrian's eyes but it happened so fast that I wasn't sure what it was, or if it ever happened and it was just my imagination.

"I shouldn't have.." I cut him off.

"You regret it?" I asked hurt. Maybe I had been getting everything wrong and he didn't really felt anything for me, well not like what I was beginning to realize I felt for him, maybe he only saw me as a stupid teenager.

"No, of course not Viktoria. I'll be damned if I do but you… well you're going through so much and I don't want you to… I mean that… I really like you, very much in fact, but…" There were many buts in his unfinished sentences that I wonder what he meant.

"You don't have to make any excuses if you didn't really mean it, just say it to my face and I will never be a trouble for you again." I said bravely and holding my head high waiting for him to tell me that he didn't really like me and… and then he smiled!

I was fuming when I saw his smile. The idiot was going to say it with a smirk on his face to humiliate me.

"I'm not regretting anything and the reason why I'm not kissing you right now is because you pulled back, not me. I thought you were the one that regretted it." His smile disappeared halfway his speech and in its place a frown appeared.

He was right, it had been me the one that pulled back not him and that had only been because I was afraid of getting hurt again.

"I… Thought you were only playing with me and that you didn't mean it." He closed the gap between us and took me in his arms, his mouth descended and crushed mine with such a force and passion that I had to wrap my arms around him so I wouldn't fall. My knees were suddenly weak and I could only think about him and the way his lips moved over mine.

His hands gripped my hips and pulled me amazingly closer to him. When we had to breathe we didn't pull away instead he started to trail kisses down my neck and my collar bone. I couldn't do anything else but simply let him because I was consumed by such a passion that my mind was clouded with it. I never experienced anything like that, not even with Nikolai and I thought I had been in love with him.

"God I thought that this moment would never come. Viktoria what I said… I do have feelings for you and I would like to discover what we have. I… Viktoria would you like to be my girlfriend?" He sounded so sincere and there was no trace of humor in his pleading eyes. I didn't hesitate to give him an answer.

"Yes, Of course" I said a little breathlessly because I was very aware of something pressed against my stomach but before I could react his mouth was back on mine and I forgot about everything.

We were still in my room so when Adrian began pushing me back and I hit the wall I tried to move toward the bed and when his legs hit the edge of the bed we both went down on the bed. We bounced once and then he rolled us over so he was on top of me and every thought that didn't involve us in this position disappeared.

His hand traveled all the way up and lifted my shirt up till the point that almost showed my breasts and I was so excited that I was holding him by the hair but just when he was about to take off my shirt he stopped. We both were panting but he seemed to be struggling.

"No… we can't do this right now, my love" He called me his love, I felt joy rise to my throat but then what he just said sank in and I started to shake my head.

"Why not?" I asked afraid that now he regretted his words because he realized that I'm only a teenager. I knew how old he was, that wasn't a secret and he knew how old I was. I just didn't think that he'd stop because of that. It was just like with Dimitri and Roza, all over again.

"This is not the right moment _dushka_" He called me sweetie in Russian.

"This is the right moment" I said and before he could reply I covered his mouth with mine. At first I thought he'd stop me and push me away but he didn't. Instead he took off my shirt without hesitation and as our clothes came off, my doubts faded and I didn't care about anything else but him and me.

I didn't know what to do or how to give pleasure to him because this would be my first time. I was an unskillful little girl compared to him but he didn't seem to mind. He was patient with me at the moment that it hurt me the most and sweet talked to me. He held me tight and with love. I couldn't believe that love was already involved in our relationship when it barely began.

Adrian was very gentle with me but there was a point where we both couldn't take it anymore and it was amazing. We both needed each other with such intensity that it even made me forget about the pain for a while. I embraced him as if he were my source of life, which at the moment he was. I was sure that if we let go of each other I would die. I needed him so much.

When the world exploded in ecstasy around us I think that that was the time I lost my heart to him and my virginity.

I'm not sure who shouted first, it must have been me because then I felt Adrian's lips on mine but I could tell that it wasn't only me who felt the earth tremble beneath us and suddenly I wanted to tell the whole world that I was no longer a virgin and that I was Adrian's now. But somehow I didn't think that many people would appreciate it.

We kept on kissing and nibbling. My mouth never left his body, I kept on trailing kisses wherever I could and his lips did the same. His hands wandering through my body and I could barely contain my self from moaning as he kept touching me.

As we lay on the bed, me on top of him, I couldn't stop thinking about what we just did. He was tracing circles with his hand on my back.

"Adrian what are we going to do? I'm leaving tomorrow with Dimka and Roza to the Academy" I said trying to keep the panic out of my voice. Adrian chuckled and tightened his grip on me.

"Don't worry, I'll go back to the academy with you. I think that the Headmistress will be delighted to have me back" He explained and I sighed relieved.

"Wait, but aren't you a little…" I looked up to him. He arched his eyebrow expectantly "old to go to the Academy?" I was afraid I had offended him but he laughed.

"I'm not going to go back to school. I already graduated a long time ago. I'm staying at one of the guests rooms. I've already been there when Rose…" He stopped abruptly, his face turned serious. I knew what he was thinking. He was remembering things with Rose. But I already knew that nothing really happened between them. But I couldn't help my self for feeling a pang of jealousy at the fact that she knew him longer and better than I did. But I would make sure to change that. "I didn't mean to bring her into the conversation I…" I cut him off by giving him a slight kiss.

"I know your feelings toward her, she told me all about you and her other friends." I said smiling, he sighed relieved and kissed me back and a couple of minutes later we both fell asleep.

When I opened my eyes, after taking a very long nap, I saw Adrian looking at me with a smile on his face. He was stroking my cheek with his thumb and even that slight and innocent touch made me remember what we had just done.

"Hello sleeping beauty" He said before kissing me and when I was about to wrap my arms around his neck someone knocked on the door and we both pulled away at the same time.

"Viktoria Dimka's friend is here to say goodbye and wants to see Adrian! Mom said that you two should come down." Paul said and I quickly yanked the sheets to cover my self. What if Paul decided to come in without knocking? It was his room after all but thank God Karolina taught him manners.

I didn't realize that when I got up to look for my clothes, wrapped up in the sheets, that I had left Adrian completely naked till out of the corner of my eye I saw him getting up with nothing covering him. I gasped and stood petrified there. Adrian quickly glanced at my face and when he saw me staring at him, wide-eyed, he smiled.

"Don't worry I'm not shy" He said chuckling and I quickly looked away trying to find my clothes. I found my panties on the floor next to the bed but they were useless now because they had been ripped. I waved it at him blaming him but he only shrugged. "I get carried away with you, sorry" the way he said it made me forget the fact that I might have to get dressed without wearing anything underneath my pants.

Another knock on the door and we both froze. He had his shirt halfway his torso and I was pulling my jeans.

"Uncle Dimka and Roza just got here Vik and Mom said that you should come down because we'll say goodbye to Tasha, hurry up!" Then I heard him running down the stairs and then Dimka said something to him. Dimka!

"Oh my God if he sees us…" I began panicking but Adrian already had his shirt on and he was trying to fix his tousled hair. I looked at my self in the mirror when I was ready and realized that my lips were swollen. Not just that, I also had a hickey on my shoulder.

"You just signed your death sentence…" I murmured under my breath but Adrian heard me and he turned around.

"Damn, I left a hickey on your shoulder. I knew I should have been paying more attention…" He said something else but my mind was busy trying to decipher whose steps were walking down the hallway towards this room. They weren't light enough to be a woman's and the only man that walked like that was Dimitri.

I quickly grabbed one of Paul's hoodie that were on his bed and put it on because my top wouldn't cover my shoulder. Adrian seemed to have finally heard the steps and he sat casually on Paul's bed with a poster that had been left there.

I stayed in front of the mirror trying to look like I was actually admiring my self and like I supposed Dimka didn't knock on the door, he only came in.

"Tasha's leaving come downstairs Adrian" Dimitri said with a knowing smile.

"Oh yeah, the little one came before and we were about to go downstairs but Viktoria was making herself presentable." The calm and collected way Adrian said it made me even more nervous. How could he be so calm?

"Ohm yes but I'm ready let's go" I walked towards the door and Dimitri frowned at Adrian.

"Now you can read upside down Adrian? That's something I didn't know Spirit users could do" Dimitri's sarcasm wasn't funny and I stared at him in horror knowing that at any moment he'd guess what just happen but instead of having any of that Adrian just laughed.

"I'm not reading Damphir, I'm watching" Then he showed Dimitri the poster of Katy Perry posing with a very short dress for her video I Kissed A Girl. Dimitri laughed and then all of us went downstairs to say goodbye to Tasha.

**RPOV**

We arrived at the house at about five o'clock and when Dimitri and I came in after saying goodbye to my parents. Inside Tasha was talking excitedly with Olena and Karolina.

"Dimka!" Tasha exclaimed and stood up. Dimitri looked surprised to see her and even more surprised when she rushed to his side and gave him a friendly hug. He looked over at me with a worried expression and I had to admit that I did feel a pang of jealousy but I ignored it and smiled. Tasha stepped away from him and gave me a hug.

"Rose, how are you feeling?" she asked very concerned.

"I'm much better thank you." I said truthfully and smiled at her.

We went to sit on the couch.

"So Tasha how long are you staying?" I asked.

"I'm leaving tomorrow. I have to go back to America tomorrow because Christian and Lissa wanted me at their wedding" I flinched because I hadn't known. She shut me down but I think that it was for the best.

"Wish them the best for us" Dimitri said sincerely.

"Oh, you can wish them luck yourselves. I have your invitations right here" She opened her purse, took out two white envelopes that look very expensive and gave them to Dimitri. "they were going to give them to you but…" she looked at me apologetically but I shrugged.

"I understand, I haven't been my self lately" I answered and Dimitri squeezed my hand gently.

"I also have invitations for your family Dimitri," she looked at Olena and Karolina.

"We'd be delighted to go but we can't. Sonya and I have to work" Karolina said.

"Neither can I because I have to take care of Paul and Sonya's baby when it's born, which will be soon" Olena explained, she and Karolina looked apologetically and Tasha looked disappointed. But then they had to leave to make dinner.

"Oh, but what about Viktoria, and is Adrian here? I promised Lissa that I'd give Adrian his invitation before he'd leave." I quickly looked around noticing that neither of them were around.

Was this supposed to be a good or bad sign? I remembered that since I got back those two had been hanging around with each other so much that I barely had time to talk to either of them and this afternoon before we left for the restaurant Adrian offered to help Viktoria pack. Adrian didn't do anything without a purpose, ever.

"I think they must be still packing" I said out loud and realized the mistake. Dimitri would go looking for them and maybe catch them in the middle of something if my suspicions were true.

"I'll go look for them" Dimitri said getting up but I grabbed his arm and then he looked down at me with his eyebrow was raised.

"I'll go, you stay and keep chatting with Tasha" I started to get up but he caught me.

"I'll go Roza, you stay here and I'm not accepting a no for an answer." His voice was firm and I sighed defeated. I nodded and he went upstairs.

"Very protective isn't he?" Tasha said with a small smile.

"Very, but I know he's worried about us" I said putting a hand on my belly.

"I can't imagine Dimka baby-talking, he just doesn't seem the type to do it but I think that a baby softens anybody" the longing in her voice was obvious and I felt bad for her. I knew that Adrian and she had broken up because they realized that they just weren't happy with each other and that if Adrian was really into Viktoria then that meant that Tasha was alone and that thought depressed me.

Mainly because she was really a good person and deserved a good man just like Dimitri and the possibility that if Dimitri and I hadn't fallen in love, he would have gone away with Tasha and made her happy was eating me. They could have been so happy and Dimitri wouldn't have had to leave his duties as Guardian just to have a family, she and him would have been happy, so happy.

"Yes, it does. Could you have imagined me getting pregnant and resigning my duties as Guardian the night we met?" I asked her smiling.

"Well, to be honest, yes." That surprised me. "Don't take me wrong but I think that since the moment I saw Dimka again I already knew that he wasn't the same and I saw that in you even though I didn't know you back then. For a girl your age you acted and talked too mature." Her words held truth and she didn't have a purpose to lie so I believed her.

"Dimitri obviously didn't think I was mature back then and I wasn't, Tasha, but now with the baby… everything changed, I changed and so did Dimitri." She nodded.

"He changed a lot, when I met him. He was so dedicated to his duty as Guardian and I'm sure that even if you hadn't met him he would have never resigned his duties for me, we just weren't meant for each other. Rose you complete him." She didn't seem to have any problem with it, she said it as if she had never felt anything for Dimitri. It was either the fact that she got over him or that she realized that he never loved her.

"I…" before we could keep talking Dimitri came down the stairs with a very anxious Viktoria and an elated Adrian. Adrian seemed to be almost sparking with live and the grin that he had on his face told me that something happened, something that I wasn't sure I wanted to know because Viktoria had the same spark but very well masked under a blank, but anxious expression in her eyes.

Dimitri didn't sit next to me because just then Olena said that dinner was ready and we went to the kitchen. Viktoria sat in front of me, beside her Adrian seemed to be radiating electricity; beside me Dimitri had his hand on my thigh. Tasha was chatting very enthusiastic with Karolina and Olena.

Paul was eating in the living room and watching TV. Everything seemed pretty normal to me till I noticed a hickey on Viktoria's shoulder. I kicked her under the table and motioned my shoulder looking at hers. She was wearing a way too small blue jacket that looked very much like Paul's and it wasn't covering the hickey. She blushed deep red and covered it.

So I was right, something happened between her and Adrian. Dimitri didn't notice the difference in Adrian's mood. He went from depressed and melancholic to beaming and shining almost like a light bulb. Tasha seemed to notice it too because she glanced at him twice.

"So Tasha at what time are you leaving?" Dimitri asked suddenly.

"Oh, I'm going in the morning. Why?"

"Well we were also leaving, you didn't know because you left when we talked to Roza's parents." Tasha seemed surprised.

"But… I thought you wanted to stay here"

"We have to go back but who are you leaving with?" I asked.

"Well I was hoping to buy the tickets in the morning since I didn't have time today and Christian already left with Lissa because there was an emergency with the food." She rolled her eyes and Dimitri and I laughed.

"There's no way you're leaving on a cheap airplane when I have a thousand times better Jet waiting to take me back" Adrian interfered looking offended. "I told you that if you needed a favor you could ask, besides even if I didn't have the Jet here I would have asked for it because there was no way in hell that I would travel with Rose's parents when Dimitri was around." Dimitri looked confused.

"Why? What's wrong with my parents and Dimitri?"I asked not getting it either.

"I don't have a dead wish Rose, whenever Dimitri is around your parents, things get pretty heat up and the plain could crash" Everyone laughed, even Viktoria, but her laugh sounded a little forced and hysterical. I really needed to talk to her.

"Adrian thank you" Tasha said.

"By the way Viktoria is going to go with me in the Jet" Adrian said casually and I felt Dimitri tense beside me. Adrian did have a dead wish after all! How could he say that in front of a very over protective, easily pissed when it came to his sister, Russian big brother? Viktoria also seemed to be praying for Adrian's life.

"What, why, with whose permission?" Dimitri almost growled.

"Abe's Jet is not big enough for all of us Dimitri and if I'm taking Tasha I can take Viktoria too, well if she wants to" Dimitri wasn't very convinced but relaxed a bit.

"I'd… really appreciate that" Viktoria said with her voice a little bit shaky but either Dimitri was kind of deaf or he really didn't know how to read corporal reactions. Even Tasha heard her nervousness.

"Fine" Was all Dimitri said and he turned his attention to Tasha as she asked him something about who knows what.

My attention was on Viktoria and Adrian. I watched them very closely trying to decipher both of them. She was nervous as hell under that mask of control. I could see it very clearly. Apparently brown eyes were very easy to read for me and besides anxiety she was also glowing with excitement.

Damn, se looked just like me after Dimitri and I...

"Oh my god!" I said a little bit too loud and I didn't realize that till everyone turned around to see me with worried expressions, except Viktoria. She looked scared as hell and looked at Adrian who had almost the same expression. They must have realized that I knew because they both had pleading eyes and I wasn't going to say anything so I got an idea.

**I have very bad news. Tomorrow is the last day of school, I think today is my last day with the computers at school, so I think that it might be a while before I can update. I know its not fair but that's why I'm putting this chapter long. I had a dream last night that weirded me out but Im not going to telll you about it because I might spoil something in the future for this story and maybe even my book.**

**But anyways, I'm apologizing for not updating soon. But I might be lucky enough if the wicked witch of the west, aka my aunt, decides to put internet because next year I'm going to Victory Early College and I might need the internet too much for homework. Homework might be another problem because to the school I'm going there's plenty of that, or at least that's what they say. and worst of all is that to go there I have to get up at 5 in the morning because the goddamned bus comes at 5:45! And I have to go to summer school starting june 7 to 30. Can you believe it? augh! Its so unfair, but the sacrifices I have to make for my damn education.**

**Once again I apologize if I don't update soon. I'm very sad for not being able. **

**But please review and give me ideas if you don't like something or if you liked something. For those of you who haven't reviewd that much this is your opportunity to do it.**

**What would you do if Dimitri and you get trapped in an elevator?**

**Review.**


	14. Chapter 14

"**Oh my god!" I said a little bit too loud and I didn't realize that till everyone turned around to see me with worried expressions, except Viktoria. She looked scared as hell and looked at Adrian who had almost the same expression. They must have realized that I knew because they both had pleading eyes and I wasn't going to say anything so I got an idea.**

"What's wrong Roza?" Dimitri was the first to ask and I could see the concern in his eyes.

"The baby… she kicked too hard and it hurt" I had my hands on my belly but Dimitri didn't relax one bit.

"You should probably go to our room and get some rest" He said, there was no doubt that he was serious and didn't expect a no for an answer.

"Yes, I'm kind of tired." I answered and the edginess was obvious in my voice. Adrian and Viktoria sighed relieved.

We said good night to Tasha and Dimitri's family before heading to our room. I didn't have to fake being tired because I indeed was and the belly ache was true, I just had been trying to ignore it the whole day because I wanted to have a good last day here in Russia. But there was no denying that I would fall asleep as soon as I'd hit the pillow.

When we went in I went to bed with my clothes on. Dimitri realized that I was too tired to take my clothes off so he did it for me but it was very hard for me to fall asleep when he was touching me so I kept my eyes open just so I could watch him. When he was sliding my dress up, his hand accidently brushed my breast and I moaned closing my eyes. Dimitri chuckled.

"You're tired Roza, go to sleep" He said but I could hear the restrain in his voice.

"Dimitri…" I said when his hand disappeared and my dress was off. I opened my eyes and I watched as he also took his clothes off. He put on his pajama bottoms and turned off the light. When he was finally on the bed next to me I cuddled closer to him. I was very aware of my exposure. He only left me wearing my underwear and bra.

He put his arm around me and caressed my belly gently.

"Are you sure you're ok? We could go to the doctor tomorrow before leaving." He suggested softly.

"No, I'm fine Dimitri. The baby's kicks were going to eventually get stronger and this one held a little bit of too much force." He chuckled slightly.

"That was expected, knowing her Mom I'm not surprised, she can kick pretty hard." I laughed.

"Very funny Dimitri" I replied with sarcasm.

He laughed and kept on stroking my belly. I noticed that in a couple of days the baby had grown. Ever since I… bit Dimitri. Dimitri's blood gave the baby strength and now my belly was normal almost seven month's size.

"Dimitri did you notice that… the baby grew more since I…"

"Yes, I did. But after all the baby is Moroi so it was obvious that she'd need blood to grow. Promise me that if you feel hungry again and there are not feeders around you'll tell me. I would appreciate being warned." At first I didn't understand what he was saying but slowly his words sank in. He was asking me to warn him if I was going to bite him when the baby was hungry.

"No… Dimitri I won't do that again. I don't want to use you like that" I said alarmed.

"Roza its just a little blood and we can't risk the baby's life. I wouldn't mind letting you drink if it meant that would help you and the baby but I'm just asking for a warning so the accident that happened with Galina won't repeat itself. Somehow I don't appreciate having my throat slashed open" I knew he wasn't mad at me and the bitterness in his voice was directed to Galina not me but I couldn't help my self and I winced.

"Dimitri…" I tried again.

"Roza I'm trusting that you will tell me." He said and I knew that I couldn't keep arguing. Defeated I nodded slowly. "Thank you. Now go to sleep my Roza. Tomorrow we go back to America"

I snuggled closer to him and closed me eyes letting the darkness bring me some piece.

While Dimitri was taking the suitcases outside to the car that was supposed to take us to the airport where my Father's Jet was I was in the kitchen having breakfast with Olena and Dimitri's sisters, including Paul.

"Roza promise that you'll call whenever you can" Karolina was saying and I nodded.

"Of course and you Sonya promise me that you'll call us when the baby is born, we want pictures" I told Sonya who smiled.

"Yes, and you too" she replied.

Sonya's baby was supposed to be born sometime next week and it was a shame that Dimitri wouldn't be here to see his nephew or niece. I wished that I could stay there with them but maybe after my baby was born Dimitri and I could come so Olena would meet her granddaughter.

"Everything's ready, we should go now if we don't want to be late" Dimitri said from the door. I knew that leaving his family again was depressing him very much and I felt bad.

"Ok but where are Adrian and Viktoria?" I asked.

"They are already at the airport, they left early this morning before we even got up" Dimitri explained and I was surprised that he didn't seem to be worried. "Tasha was with them by the way"

So they already left.

I got up and hugged everyone. I was going to miss them all, especially Paul.

"I'm going to miss you Paul but I promise that next time we visit I'll taught you how to fight ok?" He nodded and kissed my cheek.

Dimitri also said goodbye to everybody and next thing I know we are in the car on our way to the airport. I couldn't believe that it was just a couple of months ago that we came here trying to start our new lives together far away from our problems at the academy and all that.

Now we were going back because turns out that we're safer over there. I couldn't believe the easiness which Dimitri decided to go back. Everyone would probably see us like something wrong, especially the fact that I was pregnant with Dimitri's baby. They'd probably think that is somebody else's and that Dimitri was just admitting her like his daughter because he had no other choice.

We had a rough couple of months ahead of us.

"Dimitri we shouldn't go" I said in a whisper looking at him. He sighed and ran his hand through his tousled brown hair that he was wearing loosely.

"Roza, we already talked about this, we can't stay here because there are not enough Guardians. I can't protect you by my self and my sisters are in no shape of fighting Strigoi, well except Viktoria she's very good, but she and I are still not enough. Once the baby is born we can go back to training if that's what you want my love but for now the baby is what's important." I sighed.

Of course the baby was important and me too because as long as I was pregnant I wouldn't risk defending my self because something could happen to the baby and if I didn't fight something could happen anyways.

"But you know that not many people would be pleased to see us together, we'll have a hell of a lot to explain" I said with my hand on my belly, Dimitri smiled and put his hand on mine.

"Let them think whatever they want because we don't have to explain ourselves anymore" He bent forward and kissed my belly. "I'm no longer a Guardian nor I am your mentor and we both are old enough to do as we please." I smiled at that.

"You certainly taught me everything I know" I said in a low voice looking at him with a seductive smile and he laughed.

"Really?" He asked playfully.

"Really"

He kissed me softly because we were very aware of the driver in the front seat and we quickly pulled away but I remained leaning against his chest.

When we got to the airport Dimitri didn't let me carry anything, he got help from the driver. Inside we saw my parents waiting for us. My Father motioned to one of the other guardians to help us with our suitcases. Dimitri paid the driver for his help and then we were boarding the Jet. Dimitri and I sat together with my parents a couple of rows away but we were surrounded by Guardians. Adrian was right about not wanting to ride the same Jet because then this would be so crowded.

"Would you like to go with me to talk to Kirova and Alberta about accepting my sister at the Academy, or would you rather wait for me at you Father's house? I promise I won't take long." He asked as his hand brushed my hair out of my face.

"I want to go with you because I wouldn't miss the opportunity to see Kirova and Alberta's face when they see me. Besides I promised that it wouldn't be easy to get rid of me" I grinned mischievously and he laughed.

"They'll be happy to see you I'm very sure even though they wouldn't admit it in front of you they do love you. After all you grew up under their wing" I snorted.

"Yeah right and then you are going to tell me that the tooth fairy is real, I'm not that naïve" I replied with a laugh.

"Roza, Roza" He murmured in my ear as he pulled me closer to him. He kissed my cheek and brushed his lips softly against mine. "You should take a nap." I nodded, closing my eyes and fell asleep.

I woke up twice just to eat and went back to sleep. I slept through the whole flight wrapped in Dimitri's arms and by the time we landed I felt full of energy and ready to go back to the academy and see how everything had been doing since I left.

"Where's Adrian's Jet, wasn't he supposed to be here already?" I asked Dimitri as we walked towards the gates.

"He is here already but he must be waiting for us past the gates sitting on a bench and probably making calls to go back to the Academy." Dimitri answered lightly. He didn't care about what Adrian was doing, not even the slight anger he used to talk with when he referred to Adrian.

"Ok, my parents said that they were going to make sure our suitcases got to the house while we go visit the academy." I said through gritted teeth as I remembered that we had two more guardians behind us that would be following us around. I wasn't happy about it but my Father and Dimitri insisted.

"Perfect. Now we should go looking for my sister and Adrian." He took my hand and after we said goodbye to my parents we went looking for Adrian and Viktoria.

**This is the next chapter and I just got a brilliant idea for this story yesterday while writing. Can you believe it? Its an awesome idea but my friend says that you will hate me for choosing that path of the story. But I really like where its going, I'd like to tell you but I'm afraid that I can't because you guys are reading way before you could even guess what is it. So I won't tell you anything.**

**But I have a question for you, its from SP, something that I was just wondering the other day. Would you guys have liked it if Rose and Dimitri had become Strigoi during the attack? Because if they had then they would have been happy forever, maybe as evil monsters, but I'm sure they still would have 'want' each other. Maybe even love. Well I was discussing that the other day with Becky, my friend and editor ****who's the one responsible for some awesome things in this story and laughed at many of the jokes. She even helped me when I was thinking about erasing the whole story after having a fight with the wicked bitch of the west (aka my aunt) she left me very upset and Becky told me that all of you guys loved the story. Do you, do you really guys? Because if not just tell me and I will stop writing, or rather updating. Please tell me, detailed, if you like or not this story. Tell me what you like and don't like so I can make this story better for your liking. I can still change some things if you don't like where the story is going.**

**So please review and tell me everything, anything you want me to know. If you want to tell me how much you wished you cou****ld get inside SP and kiss, slap, stake or maybe simply talk to Dimitri tell me. I can share fantasies and experiences with you. I'd really like that.**

**I also have news about Lovely Rose With Thorns. I know you have been wandering what happened to the story, here's the answer: Nothing. Nothing has happened to it and that's the problem. I've been so into Turning Point and trying to get somewhere with my own Vamp Book that I haven't had time to write more about that story but I'll try. I have some more chapters of that one but I think that I'm going to need to do some changes to it and add some more. I thank Christine I think that her name for the help.**

**So, REVIEWS! I NEED YOU GUYS TO REVIEW AND I'LL TRY HARDER TO UPDATE. **

**Thank you and love y'all.**


	15. Chapter 15

We found them buying hamburgers at a Mc Donald's.

"Are you guys ready?" I asked as Dimitri and I sat in front of them.

"Nope," Adrian answered as Viktoria said, "Yes"

"Let's go kids, we have to go to the Academy and then Roza and I still have to go to the other house" Dimitri said and then we were on our way to the Academy.

Adrian already had a car waiting for us, it wasn't just a car of course, it was a black Mercedes of the year with tainted windows. It was about nine PM so everyone at the academy must be already awake and starting things for the day. I believe that nobody mentioned anything to Kirova or Alberta about our little visit so this must be a good surprise.

Adrian tried to convince Dimitri to drive and won after the argument that he was very tired and would probably cause an accident. Dimitri didn't want any of that because I was going to be in the same car so he drove us to the Academy. I sat in the back with Viktoria. She seemed kind of nervous.

"You are going to like Alberta and I'm warning you, you should watch out for Stan." I told Viktoria but was Dimitri who laughed.

"You must mean Guardian Alto Roza, Viktoria don't dare to call him Stan. He hates that and it's disrespectful" Dimitri said looking at me through the rearview mirror with a pointed look. "You are supposed to call him Guardian Alto and be good with Alberta, she was actually the first one to realize that there was something between Roza and I and didn't say anything" I rolled my eyes at all the warnings.

"And Viktoria when we get there I'll give you a tour while he talks with Kirova and I'll show you the best places where you can get out of your room without getting caught." I said cheerfully.

"Don't bother Rose I'll do it my self, and believe when I say that she won't get caught." Adrian said turning around and smirking.

"I never got caught" I said to him smiling and Dimitri cleared his throat to hide a laugh. "Well except for once…" He cleared his throat again. "Maybe twice but you were the only one that caught me and nobody else which means that if nobody else caught me they won't get her" I said defensively.

"I'm sure that I won't have to sneak out" Viktoria said with a small laugh.

"You better not Viktoria because I may not be there but I have contacts there and I'm sure that Alberta won't mind telling me how you doing" Dimitri threatened but Viktoria just laughed.

"Dimka please, we both know that that's not necessary. Why the heck would I be sneaking out, uh?" Viktoria was being half serious, half sarcastic and Adrian stopped laughing.

Adrian changed the subject by reminding Dimitri that he was also staying.

After about an hour we got to the Academy and the Guardian at the post seemed surprised to see Dimitri and me there.

"Dimitri what are you doing here? I thought you were back in Siberia with your family" The Guardian asked and Dimitri shrugged.

"I'm bringing my sister here, she'll attend the Academy, is the Headmistress here?" Dimitri asked and then the guardian nodded and we went in.

Dimitri parked and helped me get out. We walked toward Kirova's office and when we entered her office she had a smile on her face.

Adrian went in first followed by Viktoria, Dimitri and me. Her eyes widened when she saw me, well not exactly me but my big belly. I laughed and Dimitri seemed to be fighting back a laugh. Adrian snorted and Viktoria simply smiled.

"You… you look…" She was at lost of words.

"Big? Like a cow?" I filled her in but she shook her head.

"No, You look wonderful" she got up and hugged me. I was very surprised because I couldn't believe that this was the woman that chastised me just a year ago about leaving with Lissa. She was too friendly.

"What brings you back Dimitri?" She asked after we all said our greetings and sat.

"I came here to ask a huge favor." Kirova watched him expectantly. "My sister Viktoria here wishes to attend this school and I know that it's late but I recall that you received Rose back last year and I was hoping you'd do an exception once again and…" Kirova cut him off.

"Of course Dimitri, I would be honored if Viktoria were a student here. I know what a great Guardian you are and I'm sure your sister would be one too." Dimitri sighed relieved and turned to his sister.

"Are you sure about this Viktoria?"When she nodded she did it firmly and solemnly.

"Thank you head mistress, this means much to me and I will not disappoint you" Viktoria's words held the exact amount of authority and truth that made her sound almost like Dimitri. Kirova smiled.

Just then someone knocked on the door.

"Come in" Said Kirova and Alberta came in.

When Alberta's eyes met mine she smiled and hugged me. I kind of liked this hugging.

"I thought that the guardian at the gate was lying when he said that guardian Belikov was back" Alberta explained and Dimitri smiled.

"I'm not exactly back Alberta, I just came here to ask the Headmistress if she'd accept my sister here as a student." Alberta looked at Viktoria who was walking towards her.

"Viktoria Belikov, Dimka told me excellent things about you" Viktoria shook hands with Alberta.

"He used to talk about his family often." Alberta answered.

After Dimitri signed some papers and I don't know what else Alberta walked Viktoria to her room and Adrian went to his room. Kirova didn't seem to have a problem accepting him there and Adrian took advantage of it by taking the best room. But when you are the queen's nephew you get whatever you want.

Dimitri stayed with Kirova because he wanted to talk to her in private about something important so I followed Viktoria and Alberta. When I realized that my room was now Viktoria's I was beaming. I knew perfectly fine this place and the places where she could sneak out.

Alberta left after saying goodbye.

So I began explaining to her how to sneak out of the room and she listen to me like I was some sort of teacher teaching her something good. I was sure she wanted to know so she could go to Adrian later.

"There's something between you and Adrian isn't?" Viktoria's eyes widened.

"How… did you know?" she asked shocked. "I thought we were being discreet about it, does Dimka know?"

"Dimitri doesn't know a thing but I realized it after watching the two of you around each other. The way you look at everyone but except each other and how you were smiling and beaming almost all the time. I recognized the symptoms because it happened to me too when Dimitri and I met." I explained remembering our first meetings.

"I wanted to tell you but…"

"You though I'd tell Dimitri" I finished for her and laughed. "Viktoria I wouldn't have wanted someone to tell anybody about Dimitri and me, why would I tell him about your relationship with Adrian? I'm not the one to tell that secret but let me tell you that the longer you keep it a secret the more it would hurt him." She nodded and sighed.

"I know but I just need more time, we need more time," I understood perfectly fine so I didn't push it anymore and we changed subjects. "But tell me how you've been feeling?"

I sighed and put a hand on my big belly that was now so big that it made me flinch every time I looked at it. Fortunately I didn't have any stretching marks.

"Is going fine I think, though its kind of an inconvenience for certain things" I said with a smile and she did understand me because she blushed. "But aside from that everything's cool. I can't wait to hold the baby in my arms."

"You just have two more months to go don't you?"

"Yes but its going to be very hard for me to have my figure again" I complained and we both laughed.

"I doubted because you actually look pretty skinny to me and even Dimka mentioned it." She looked at my bony fingers and slim arms. She was right because I had actually lost weight and even though I ate my meals and all that I just couldn't gain a pound.

"Hmm but I still…" We were interrupted when Dimitri came in, the door had been open so he didn't have to knock and I was relieved that we dropped the Adrian subject. If we hadn't we'd probably have a very angry Russian God going to hunt poor Adrian.

"We should go get something to eat, its lunch and Kirova said that it was ok if we wandered around school to show Viktoria the campus before we leave." He said after he kissed me softly.

"Let's go then, I'm starving here guys" We laughed and Dimitri helped me get up from the sofa. We walked towards the cafeteria and to my luck it was half full so when we went in many stared at us, but mainly at me. Like they hadn't seen a pregnant woman before.

I tried to ignore them but when Dimitri put an arm around my waist while we waited in line their eyes nearly popped out and I smiled to my self. Viktoria seemed a bit uncomfortable by all the attention and it was very weird when Adrian joined us and started talking eagerly with Viktoria. Dimitri ignored them and simply stood there.

"They are staring and whispering Dimitri, did you realize that?" I asked him softly and he nodded.

"Of course but just ignored them Roza, like I said before, we don't have to explain ourselves to anybody anymore." The confidence in his words made me smile and I stood up in my toes to kiss his cheek. He smiled.

Then it was our turn and Dimitri took two trays and started filling them with food. When we were about to pay for the food Adrian skipped us and I was about to say something when I saw him paying the lady for our food, his and Viktoria's.

"Adrian don't…" Dimitri began but didn't have a choice anymore because Adrian was already walking away with Viktoria beside him. Dimitri sighed and we followed them to a table.

"Don't say anything Dimitri, its already done and it won't change. Besides why have so much money and don't use it?" Dimitri shut up but I knew he wasn't comfortable with Adrian paying for the food but he didn't mention it.

"So Adrian aren't you going to feel lonely without the rest of us here?" I asked with a smile.

"Oh no little Damphir, I won't feel lonely at all because I have my ways to keep my self busy but I have to admit that I'll miss the old days with all the sneaking around, won't you Dimitri?" Adrian kicked Dimitri under the table and Dimitri laughed.

"I will but believe me when I tell you that it's much better this way" He kissed my hand and then my lips.

"Guys, guys please not here, we're in the middle of the cafeteria" Adrian groaned as if it was the worst thing and I laughed.

We began eating and when I finally ate my precious doughnuts that I missed so much that I felt like I was in heaven. Dimitri also ate doughnuts and he seemed to like them, I realized that when I was still a student here I hadn't known what he liked to eat here.

"What was your favorite food from here?" I asked him.

"The doughnuts" He answered quickly.

We kept eating and talking but when we were done eating I decided that I wanted to go and say hi to someone before going.

"Dimitri I want to say hi to someone before we leave" I said and Dimitri nodded probably thinking that I meant a student. So naïve. "Let's go Viktoria"

I led the way toward Stan's classroom and Dimitri didn't realize where we were going till we were standing in front of his classroom and I was about to knock on the door.

"Roza what are you doing?" He asked in a hushed voice.

"I want to introduce Viktoria to Stan personally" and with that I knocked on the door. He said to come in and his expression when he saw me was priceless!

His eyes nearly popped out and his mouth was hanging open. I smiled and went in with everyone behind me.

"Well hello Guardian Alto, long time no see. Didn't you miss me?" I said teasingly and he seemed to have realized that his mouth was open because he closed it and the smirk on his face was back.

"Thought you had taken her away Belikov, why bring her back if the receipt said that we wouldn't accept devolutions. Much less with a package of her own, aren't we full of surprises Ms. Hathaway?" He was joking of course and because Dimitri knew his dark humor didn't mind that much. Adrian snickered.

"Stan she won't be Hathaway anymore, in a couple of months you'll have to change Hathaway for Belikov" Dimitri said sounding very proud and Stan's eyes went directly to the ring in my left hand.

"Full of surprises indeed guardian Belikov" Stand said with amazement because he knew very well about why it was possible for Dimitri and me to have babies.

"Anyways we didn't come here to bring anyone back, but to bring someone new" I said gesturing to Viktoria.

"Stan this is my sister Viktoria and she will be attending school here" Dimitri said.

"Nice to meet you guardian Alto" Viktoria said politely also shaking his hand.

"Look at that, someone has manners but I wouldn't have expected anything less from any of Belikov's relatives." Stan said mockingly to Dimitri but it was obvious he meant me.

"I'm sure Stan" I said with a smile.

Just then the baby decided to kick hard and I bent forward a little.

"Ow, ow" I said as I cradled my belly and in no time Dimitri was by my side with his arm around my waist to support me.

"Roza, are you alright?" Dimitri asked very alarmed.

The pain passed but it left me with a very uncomfortable feeling. So I nodded.

"I'm fine it's nothing" I said with a small smile. But he knew it wasn't true.

I looked around and I realized that Stan looked kind of distressed.

"Oh don't look at me like that Stan, it's not like I'm going to give birth in the middle of your class room" I said mockingly and his eyes widened. Dimitri chuckled.

"Don't worry Stan, she's just joking. The baby won't be born in another couple of weeks" Dimitri informed him and Stan seemed to relax a little bit. "But we should go just in case" He said looking at me with a knowing smile.

We said goodbye to Stan and we accompanied Viktoria to her room. Adrian followed.

"I'll ask Kirova for a ride so we can go" Dimitri said and kissed his sister's cheek goodbye. Adrian was there and when he heard that he looked at Dimitri.

"Take the Mercedes, I obviously won't be using it any time soon being here" He said like he was offering us a lollipop.

"No thank you, I'm sure we can use Kirova's Honda" Dimitri insisted. But Adrian was very stubborn.

"Heard that Kirova's Honda died a couple of night's ago so I guess that that leaves you with my Mercedes" He threw his keys at Dimitri and he catched them.

"Fine but I'll have someone bring it tomorrow" Dimitri said.

"Don't bother" Adrian said as he walked off.

Dimitri and I left. He wasn't very comfortable driving the Mercedes but didn't complain much. I reclined back and realized just how tired I was. I didn't have much strength left and I had a headache. Besides I was hungry again and this time it was a different hunger, one that I had come to know very well because it was different.

I could even smell his scent mixed with the same aftershave that used to fill my senses before but now was very overwhelming and was driving me crazy.

I ran my tongue along my teeth and winced when one of my fangs cut my tongue. The blood was so sweet but nothing compared to Dimitri's. The baby was moving around restlessly and was very painful.

I shifted a little bit and groaned as the baby kicked my side.

"Roza what's wrong?" Dimitri asked.

"I'm just tired." I answered but he was clearly not convinced.

His scent was too strong and it was so mouth-watering. I tried to distract my self by listening to the song on the radio that Dimitri liked so much. The 1850's song wasn't helping much but it was something.

Thankfully the ride to the house wasn't long and by the time we got there I was starving. I barely glanced at the two story house that was beautiful. Dimitri seemed to have known that I wasn't in the mood for anything so he opened the door and I instantly ran upstairs looking for the master bedroom trying to put as much distant between Dimitri and me as possible.

Dimitri followed me of course and he wasn't helping.

**Sorry that I haven't updated soon but I've been busy going to the stupid required summer school for the new school I go next year. Lately I've had to apologize for that a lot, though I'm really sorry. I promise that I'll make it up to you for the third part of this story. I'm not done with this second part yet but when the idea came to my mind the other day while almost finishing this one, I just had to start writing it. I'll finish this one soon, but don't you worry about a thing because you still have a couple of chapters left. More than a couple actually but I promise that you will love me for the third part of this story.**

**Meanwhile I really need you guys to keep reviewing. I live for those reviews now that I'm going to be drowning with homework as soon as school starts. Worst of all is that I suck at math, really suck, and I've had to ask some classmates to help me. I really hate the things that complicate my life, math is among them in third place after my aunt Claudia, first place, and my cousin who happens to be her son, second place. Because really, how many of you have a goddamn wicker aunt and an equally mean, retard and idiotic cousin? **

**I'm so unhappy, but I cheer up every time I read reviews from you telling me that you really like this story, so cheer me up and inspire me by reviewing.**

**Disclaimers:**

**At a night club**

**Dimka: (high from the bite, dances shirtless and sweaty sandwiched between all of us at the rhythm of 3OH3!'s Don't trust me) She wants to touch me whoa oh whoa oh , she wants to love me whoa oh she'll never leave me whoa oh oh oh oh **

**Me: Girls! The one that leaves more reviews gets to smack Dimitri's butt and… an hour with him to do anything!**

**Dimka: Yeah! (He raises the beer in his hands and gulps most of it down) Oh, and a reminder that the characters in this story don't belong to our lovely Gen, just the plot.**

**Me: (Dancing right in front of him) I wish you belonged to me!**

**Dimka: Yeah, many wish that. (Keeps dancing) But I only belong to Roza and we live inside Richelle mead's head.**

**Hope you enjoyed this 'funny' disclaimer. It was my friend's idea of putting me as the whore, but I would certainly enjoy dancing with Dimitri. Wouldn't you?**

**Review and don't forget that I love y'all!**


	16. Chapter 16

**Dimitri followed me of course and he wasn't helping.**

I went it and closed the door behind me so he wouldn't come in and then I he knocked.

"Roza please tell me what's wrong? Are you… hungry?" He hesitated on using the last word.

"Please just go away…" I said my voice shaky. But he wasn't having any of it.

"I'm not going and you are opening that door in this instant." His voice was almost a growl and he was definitely not playing. He was deadly serious and he wouldn't be happy if I simply ignored him. I took a deep breath and slowly opened the door. He was standing there and had a mask of worry and concern for me and then he came in and hugged me, his warm embrace was very comforting but a great distraction.

"You have to stay away…" I whispered trying to back away but he held me tight.

"Roza you look so pale… what?.. oh" He seemed to realize what was wrong so he carried me and placed me on the bed. He sat next to me and started to take his shirt off.

"Dimitri don't" I said through gritted teeth but he was already shirtless and embracing me. He started kissing me with such a passion that I didn't resist.

He pulled apart and started nibbling at my ear. I drew closer to him and when my lips touched his neck I knew what to do. I opened my mouth and sank my teeth into his throat. The sweet and warm liquid rushed to my mouth and I sighed. Dimitri didn't seem to have realized that I was drinking from him because he kept on kissing me and telling me how much he loved me. I wanted to do more than kissing but my belly was too big for that now and to remind me of that the baby started to move impatiently.

I drew back when Dimitri started to kiss his way down my neck and I had to have his lips on mine.

The next day when I woke up I tried to grab a hold of Dimitri beside me but the bed was empty. I opened my eyes and looked around. The room was empty. I sat up and got up to try to spot Dimitri but nobody seemed to be here so I walked to the bathroom and he wasn't there.

The smell of food made me hungry so I walked downstairs. The house was big and beautiful. Last night I hadn't had time to look around and see how big the house was. I was very surprised to see that it was a normal house with lots of windows and rooms. It even had a garden, it was small but big enough for a kid to play and have fun. I could almost see my baby running around and laughing.

I heard some noises coming from where I thought was the kitchen and walked towards it. As soon as I stepped in I saw Dimitri in front of the stove serving food on a plate and cursing when he accidently brushed his fingers on the hot pan.

Then I realized that he wasn't wearing a shirt and my eyes were glued to his tanned and precious back with his broad shoulders and I sighed just looking at him. He turned around and smiled at me but I caught a glimpse of his neck where the marks of my teeth were still visible but now it looked more like a hickey. I winced but still walked and sat on a chair. Dimitri put a plate with a couple of hotcakes.

"The kitchen is full of food and this was something quick" He smiled.

"this is delicious" I said as I started to eat and I loved it. He stared at me the whole time smiling. He ate like he was starving, just like me.

"Roza I need to tell you something" He began with a calm solemn voice that indicated only trouble. "Yesterday I asked Kirova if I could take my job back and she said yes" He looked up and I just stared at him in utter shock.

I couldn't believe it, he had been saying that he'd try to get his job back but I never thought he'd do it this soon and at the Academy.

"But… why? Dimitri we're ok right now and if this is about the wedding let me tell you that…"He cut me off.

"This is not about that, is about the fact that the baby will be born soon" He explained. "Besides the wedding is important even if it's not big and spectacular" He kissed my cheek.

"But I won't see you and I don't want to go to the academy" I complained and he chuckled.

"You won't Roza, I'll be here during the day and I'll patrol the academy a couple of hours at night so you won't be here alone" I brightened when he explained that because I was ok with it.

"But what are we going to do when the baby is born?" I asked. I didn't want to be alone at night with the baby.

"We'll work something out, don't worry" I relaxed.

We ate in silence and I then I wanted to go outside and see the garden. Dimitri was about to pull a shirt on but I stopped him.

"Don't, leave it like that." I said with a sexy grin and he laughed.

"Well then you'll have to take that off too my Roza" He motioned to my Pajamas. I went to my room and looked for something, I found a bikini but quickly dismissed it. I certainly wouldn't look good wearing it with this big belly, looking like a cow somehow wasn't in my to-do list. But when Dimitri came in he took it and gave it back to me.

"Wear this, you look stunning" I scowled.

"Are you kidding me? I'll look like a cow" He shook his head vehemently.

"You won't," With that I changed into it and put on a T-shirt but my legs were showing and Dimitri stared at me like a hungry wolf.

We walked outside and I saw the big pool I shrieked with joy and hurried Dimitri so we both could go in together. I took off the T-shirt and Dimitri took off his pajama bottoms. He only wore his boxers and before a word could be said we found ourselves in the warm water and laughing. I floated on the water with Dimitri beside me but he said that he preferred to watch me instead of trying it. He said he didn't know how to swim, like I would ever believe that.

"I feel very relaxed here you know?" I said and he chuckled.

"You look more than relaxed Roza" He said as he slid his hands under me and bent down to kiss my belly button. I shivered and then his teeth nibbled at it and I couldn't take it anymore. It tickled so much so I flung my arms around his neck and pulled him under the water to kiss him. His arms went around my waist and as we kissed underwater I could almost hear our beating hearts beating at the same time, we were so synchronized.

We had to resurface to breathe and when we did we laughed.

"My first kiss underwater" I said against his chest, his arms stayed around me and we could both feel the baby move inside me. She seemed happy and content in the water and I wanted to stay there but Dimitri suggested that we should get out or a while. When we reached the edge he grabbed me by the waist and sat me there while he stayed in the water. My belly was so big that I had to keep spread my legs a little so my belly would fit and Dimitri placed himself between them. His face was at the same level with my breasts and I couldn't help but smile at how he looked at me, his hungry gaze that was devouring me. Though my breasts looked a lot bigger than normal.

"See something you like comrade?" I asked him and he grinned remembering those times I've said that before.

"I see many things I like" He said in a husky voice.

We stayed there a long time and I enjoyed every minute of it. When we finally decided to go back inside and change it was already noon. I wasn't surprised when Dimitri joined me in the shower and I liked it. I liked the privacy we had here and I even liked it more when he didn't stop himself from exploring around my body. I didn't stop my self either and we were having so much fun that I couldn't help but frown when the phone rang.

"Don't answer" I said but Dimitri said that it could be something important so he wrapped a towel around his waist and went to answer in the living room. I wrapped another towel around me and went to the room to get dressed. When I had my jeans on and one of Dimitri's T-shirts Dimitri came in and gave the phone.

"Hello?"

"Rose it's me Lissa, I was wondering if you'd like to be my bridesmaids." I was taken back because I hadn't expected her to ask me so sudden and it took me a couple of seconds to answer.

"I… of course Lissa! I'd love to." I said and I heard her let out a relieved sigh.

"Great, thank you so much. I meant to ask you when we were in Russia but… I thought it would be better to wait." She waited because of the way I treated her, I felt awfully guilty for being such a bitch.

"Sorry… but when is your wedding? I haven't checked the date." I said as I sat down and watched Dimitri get dressed. I tilted my head to one side to appreciate his glorious body.

"Is in a week" she said guiltily and my eyes widened.

"A week? But I don't have dress or anything yet. Lissa I can't go wearing something ugly!" I squealed. Even pregnant I was vain enough to not want to look like a fool on any dress.

Dimitri turned his attention to me and he caught me looking at him, he smiled and shook his head murmuring something under his breath.

"I know but don't worry, we can go shopping today if you want. I am already close to your house" she said sheepishly. I sighed relieved.

"Great, I'd love to go shopping but would you mind if Dimitri goes with us?" Dimitri glanced at me and shook his head. He hated shopping almost as much as he hated Strigoi, or so he had said. It was very funny actually.

"Great! Christian is here too so he won't feel left out" Her enthusiasm was very contagious so I laughed and Dimitri groaned. He must have heard Lissa saying that Christian was going but he still didn't like it.

"Perfect, and I'm sure Dimitri also needs a suit or tuxedo for the party." Dimitri rolled his eyes.

"Ok then, I'll see you in a couple of minutes." She sounded so excited that I didn't even care the fact that she had already been on her way here when she called. We hung up and I sighed.

"You don't look like you want to go anywhere" Dimitri said sitting down and putting his arm around me, I leaned against his shoulder.

"I do but its just that I feel tired, lately that's how I always feel and I just can't take it anymore. I can't wait for the baby to be born." Dimitri chuckled.

"Roza I know that it must be hard for you but you only have a couple of weeks left" He explained and kissed the top of my head.

I got up and went to the bathroom to fix my hair. I only brushed it and let it down just like Dimitri liked it. He watched me from the bed and waited till I was ready. He was wearing black pants and a white collar shirt, his hair was tied back into a ponytail but locks of his hair were on his face.

**I hope you like this chapter, and please review. **

**I've been thinking and I think that we haven't thanked Becky, my BF, properly for all she's done for this story. Yesterday we were talking and she helped me to come up with the most amazing ideas for the last chapters of this part of the story and the day before that we spent about three hours discussing a subject about Dimitri, Rose and some two other characters of the story that were going to be important in the last and third part of this story. **

**So, if you are grateful and love Becky then leave it in a review and I'll make sure she reads them. Believe me when I say that she's like my editor or something, her side comments and blunt words make this story way better than it would be with only me. Without her I probably would have ended this in Rose's baby's birth but because I came up with amazing ideas that Becky helped me organize, this story has a third part. Isn't awesome? **

**Well, I just have one more thing to say.**

**Richelle mead is the amazing genius that came up with the VA books in which this story is based, nothing belongs to me so let's give Richelle a round of applause. Clap,clap,clap.**

**We are in my house with Karaoke and Dimitri is singing.**

**Dimitri: I know you like me, I know you do…. I know you want me, is easy to see… don't cha wish your boyfriend was hot like me, don't cha wish your boyfriend was a freak like me don't cha?**

**Me and Becky: We do! We do wish it! –we sigh dreamily-**

**Dimitri: Well, it doesn't matter, Richelle owns all the characters of Vampire Academy including me. –He keeps dancing and singing, making us wishing he was ours.**

**Another funny disclaimer. I have this fantasy of a dancing Dimitri, I don't know why but it would be lots of fun and I chose this song only because it was kind of sexy. I'll publish only till Wednesday because that's when the stupid summer school ends and then I'll try to go to the library at least once a week. Sorry.**

**But please, review. I am happy that I got ten reviews in the last chapter in one day, keep it up and if you put more I'll make the chapters longer. Love ya'll!**

**P.S.**

**For those of you who speak or understand Spanish, you should totally listen to Sexy Movimiento by Wissin and Yandel. I might use that song for another disclaimer, but if you don't speak Spanish look in internet for the lyrics in English.**


	17. Chapter 17

"**Roza I know that it must be hard for you but you only have a couple of weeks left" He explained and kissed the top of my head. **

**I got up and went to the bathroom to fix my hair. I only brushed it and let it down just like Dimitri liked it. He watched me from the bed and waited till I was ready. He was wearing black pants and a white collar shirt, his hair was tied back into a ponytail but locks of his hair were on his face.**

When we were both ready we went downstairs and then there was a knock on the door. We went there and opened the door. Lissa stood there with a bunch of Guardians around her. We followed her to the car that was surprisingly an SUV. We climbed in and then off we went to the mall.

"Lissa How do you think Dimitri would look better, with tie or without a tie?" I asked and Lissa and I stared at him, studying him, he seemed pretty uncomfortable being the center of our attention. Even Christian stared at him.

"I think that with a tie" She answered still looking at him. "And maybe if he cuts his hair…" Dimitri's face was full of horror, he couldn't bare the thought of cutting his hair short so he shook his head and let out a nervous laugh.

"I'm sorry but I wouldn't do either" He said politely. I laughed and Christian snickered.

"How would you like if I shave your head Fire Boy? Would you like that?" I asked him and he shut up.

"You wouldn't be able to even catch me Rose, not in the state you are" He mocked and I was about to get up and show him that I was able to do whatever I wanted to do but I caught myself on time.

"You know what Christian? I think that you are a little short my friend." I said very mocking and everyone turn their attention to us.

"What do you mean?" He asked frowning.

"I mean that from here I don't see anything, are you sure you have something down there?" I tilted my head to one side and made my self look as if I was staring at his… well you now what. Lissa laughed and Dimitri was trying very hard not to burst into laughing tears.

Christian however was blushing but his face remained with a frown.

"Rose…" He began but just then we arrived at the mall and he shut up.

We all got out of the SUV and walked towards the mall. We were dressed casually so for humans we'd probably only look like a group of friends with adult supervision that were going out for fun. The guardians positioned themselves and followed us around.

"I think that you'll love the colors for the bridesmaid's dress, it will suit you" Lissa mocked with a smile.

"Really, what is it?" I asked very interested. She shrugged.

"You'll have to wait and see." Was all she said, giggling, and trying very hard not to give anything away.

"You'll look gorgeous in anything my Roza" Dimitri whispered in my ear and he put his arm around my waist, pulling me closer to him.

"Lissa why are you making me suffer like this? You know that I'm very curious." I complained and she giggled.

"I know and I didn't bring you here only to get the dress, I have to buy something for that baby-shower of yours" she explained looking smug. I stared at her not getting what she meant.

"What baby shower? I'm not…" Then I got it. "You're planning on doing one?" I asked and she nodded.

"I'm just warning you that she won't stop till you agree so if I were you I'd say yes from the beginning to avoid any arguments" Christian said chuckling and playing with his damn cello phone. I glared at him but he was so damn engrossed in his cell phone that he ignored me.

"But Lissa I don't…" I began trying to make her understand that I didn't need one.

"Yes you do, for example do you have a crib or diapers or anything for the baby?" she asked not looking at me but scanning the stores.

Dimitri and I exchanged looks and I saw in his eyes that he hadn't thought about it either. We had been so happy about being together again and moving back to America that we didn't think about it.

"No but…" she cut me off again.

"So you'll have a baby shower." She finished for me with a bright smile.

I looked at Dimitri who looked defeated and I sighed.

"Fine but you can't buy everything. And who are you going to invite anyways? We don't know many people and Dimitri's sisters aren't here." I said sad because I really missed them. Specially Olena that was like a Mother to me.

"Rose we have many people to invite, don't worry about that" she said with smile knowing that she was right.

"You… you are…"

"Adorable, she knows" Christian finished for me.

"Thank you Chris" Said Lissa and she leaned closer to him for a quick kiss. Christian did look up then but it was an innocent kiss.

"You can't even kiss her right Christian, I think that Dimitri wouldn't mind giving you some advice on how to treat a girl right" I said and Lissa shot me a look.

"Roza leave him alone" Dimitri said with a smile.

Christian didn't look very happy but I knew that he wouldn't try anything because Dimitri was right by my side.

"Fine" I said smiling and he chuckled.

We began by going to a store full of dresses but I didn't try any on because Lissa said that she was going to ask the lady on charge to make one especially for me. The lady started to write down my sizes and all that and I had to stand there. It was very frustrating and I was able to handle the stress because Dimitri was there but I was sure that if he hadn't been there then I probably would have start yelling at the idiot because she pinched me with a needle twice.

When she was finally done I ran to Dimitri.

"We're done and we'll have the dress ready in three days ladies" she said and we went out of there.

"I'm hungry can we go get something to eat?" I asked Lissa who smiled and touched my belly.

"Yes, let's go"

We went to the food court and I sat on one table. Dimitri and Christian went to order our food. The Guardians stayed close to us and some followed Christian. They were crazy if they thought that something could happen to him when Dimitri was with him. Dimitri could even take all of them down.

"How have you been feeling Rose?" Lissa asked me, she was sitting in front of me looking very concerned. Again I felt guilty for how I treated her back in Russia after she was the one that saved me from dying.

"Fine, I don't have any pains anymore so I guess that I'll be fine" I answered rubbing my belly softly.

"Great, because the baby shower will be tomorrow. I sent a message to you parents, Adrian, Viktoria, Tasha and even Alberta." I gaped at her. She worked fast!

"When?" I asked shocked.

"While you were at the store with the lady," she shrugged like it was nothing. "I also asked Dimitri who he'd like me to invite and he mentioned Alberta so I invited her" she explained because she knew that that was likely my second question. But I didn't have anything against it because I really liked her. She had been the one that didn't say anything to anybody when she discovered my relationship with Dimitri and I was very grateful for it.

"But why tomorrow? We can still wait because the baby won't be born for another month or so." I said trying to make her change her mind. Everything was happening so quick that I needed some time to catch up.

"Because my wedding is in a week and I won't have time to do anything else in a long time. So I wanted to make this quick." She was right.

Just then Dimitri and Christian came back and gave us our food.

Dimitri brought for me and him a pizza. I started eating as soon as I saw it because event though it had only been a couple of hours since I last ate the baby seemed to think that it was time to eat again.

"Wow Rose you eat like a pig" Christian said jokingly and Lissa elbowed him.

Dimitri shot him a look but Christian was smirking.

"Looks who's talking Fire Boy, you don't even burn your own calories." I said and he snorted.

"Christian, you should ask Dimitri now, why wait any longer?" Lissa whispered to Christian but Dimitri and I heard so he turned his attention to him.

"Ask me what?" Dimitri said looking at Christian.

Christian was chewing his food so he held up a finger, gesturing us to wait for him to swallow. I rolled my eyes and looked at Dimitri who was smiling. Lissa also rolled her eyes.

"I was wondering if you'd like to be my best man for the ceremony" Christian said and Dimitri nodded.

"It'd be an honor" Dimitri always so business like.

"Thank you" Christian and Lissa said at the same time.

We kept on eating and talking, it almost felt like when we were back in the Academy and Lissa and I were always watching our backs. I kind of missed those days but I wouldn't want to go back because Dimitri and I weren't together.

Dimitri was extremely quiet and I wondered what was wrong with him. Lissa and Christian were their usual selves and they seemed very excited about their wedding.

"We should go now" I said and Lissa turned her attention to me.

"But why? We only got here a couple of hours" she complained.

"I know that but I'm not feeing well" I said and Dimitri turned to me with concern. It was true actually, I had been trying to ignore it but I was feeling very uncomfortable. My head hurt, my body ached and I was getting moody.

Lissa understood that.

"Oh, ok we should definitely go" she said and we went back to my house.

On our way back Lissa explained that she was staying at the academy and that she'd be there till we got my dress ready. I would have to fly to court the same day as she would and prepare for the wedding. I felt somehow depressed and didn't want to do anything. I wasn't feeling very good and that was making it worse, Dimitri must have sensed it because he put an arm around me and pulled me closer to him. His body was making me feel a bit better but not much, for the first time he wasn't making everything better.

When we got back home before leaving Lissa said that she'd be back at noon to get everything ready for the baby shower. The other guests would arrive at two and that only gave us two hours to get the place ready.

**The next day**

Dimitri and Christian were putting the balloons and all the crap that Lissa brought to make the place look more cheerful. I honestly didn't car about any of that. I only wanted to go to bed and sleep the rest of the day. I wasn't in the mood for anything so I was just sitting on the couch while the others were fussing over where they should put all that crap.

I was rubbing my temples because I still had the headache from yesterday and the light was bothering me a lot. Yesterday I hadn't notice it because I had been trying to convince Lissa to not do anything but now I was very aware of my discomfort.

Dimitri knew how I felt and even told me that he'd talk to Lissa about convince her of not do this because I wasn't feeling well but I didn't want to disappoint her. So here I was on the couch feeling miserable when Christian sat in front of me and I smiled when I realized how tired he looked.

"What's up Fire Boy, already tired?"I asked mockingly.

"You are here sitting like a queen and don't know how demanding Lissa is when it comes to organizing something." He said chuckling.

We both smiled at each other for a while.

"Are you regretting getting married?" I joked and he shook his head instantly.

"Of course not, I love her" I could tell that he was being honest so I stopped teasing him about it."And you? Are you having second thoughts about Dimitri?" The sarcasm was so think that I could have wrapped my self in it.

"Of course not Christian, if you were there when we were in bed you'd knew why I love him so much" He made a disgusted sound.

"Everything is ready!" Lissa announced with a squeal and it made me jump.

Christian helped me get up from the couch and we walked towards the living room. We had been sitting on the couches that were close to the door that led to the garden outside and Lissa had been in the living room.

When we walked in we saw the living room all full of pink things. Pink cake, pink balloons and god knows what else was not pink. It looked like the place had been painted pink.

"Lissa you outdid yourself, if this is what you can plan in one day and it looks this fabulous I can't wait to see your wedding!"I said amazed by what she had done.

She grinned and hugged me.

"I wanted this to be perfect Rose" she simply said.

"Don't think this didn't take effort" Dimitri said as he stretched and popped his muscles.

"Oh for God's sake Dimitri, you enjoyed every minute of it because you knew it was for your daughter." Lissa responded with a smirk and Dimitri also grinned.

"You're right" He said and he went upstairs to get dressed because the guests were about to come in. When he walked past me he kissed my cheek slightly and then disappeared upstairs.

I was already ready, wearing a very cool pair of jeans and a blue blouse that made me look cute but bigger, it was also revealing and I chose it to drive Dimitri crazy. At first he was staring at me and not concentrating on whatever Lissa was asking him to do so she sent me to the other room so Dimitri could finish.

I sat on the couch and watched as some guardians, that Lissa brought with her, came in with shiny boxes and placed them on the table. But what really bothered me was the drawers. I sighed thinking that it was too much, what she was doing I mean. She shouldn't be doing that.

Lissa and Christian went to the kitchen and brought some of the food from there to put on the other table beside the cake.

Not long after they finished bringing the food the door bell rang and I went to open the door.

My parents were there and they hugged me. I invited them in and we sat on the living room. They both seemed surprised for what they saw and who wouldn't be?

"It was Lissa's idea" I said as we sat down.

One of my Father's guardians had two boxes that he placed beside the other gifts.

"You didn't have to do that, you know?" I said pointing at the gifts. But he only grinned and shrugged.

"Of course we did" He said and my mom smiled. Mom was smiling too much recently and I was getting suspicious.

"I hope you like what we brought" My Mom said and I sighed.

"I'm sure I will" I said forcing a smile.

Just then Dimitri came back and sat beside me. Lissa and Christian came back and said hi to my parents but then Lissa went to the stereo and turned it on. I rolled my eyes at her because she knew perfectly well that I didn't want to dance. I was very irritated and Katy Perry singing Hot n' Cold wasn't making it any better.

"Lissa I don't really think that that song is the kind of song you put on for a baby shower" I said and she laughed.

"I know but this song will cheer you up" She said and then my Mother and her started a conversation.

"Dad weren't you supposed to be in court?" I asked.

"No, well yes, but I came with Lissa. We're staying at the Academy. I even saw that sister of yours Dimitri," My Father said to Dimitri who quickly looked up.

"Viktoria? Oh yes, she convinced me of letting her go and the Headmistress agreed" He explained very politely with shrug.

"Yes I know but I didn't know she had a relationship with that other boy, Adrian" My Dad explained with a smirk and I saw Dimitri's face drain of color. I shot a look at my Dad that said to shut up and he seemed to get it but it was too late. Dimitri now had his mind set on finding out whether it was true or not.

"What are you talking about?" Dimitri asked and he didn't seem very happy. I even saw Christian flinch a little at the sound of his restrained voice. Maybe Christian had been hanging around Dimitri enough to know when to keep certain distance from him.

"Oh nothing, I think that I must have misunderstood." My Father didn't seem affected by the Russian's fury and that pissed Dimitri off because Dimitri knew when someone was lying to him.

"Did you see something? Was Adrian trying to hit on my sister?" Yup, not happy. I leaned against him to try to calm him down and thought about something.

"Dimitri you know how Adrian is, he's always flirting with girls, don't get all worked up over nothing. I'm sure Viktoria will kick his ass if he tries something" He kind if smiled.

"I hope so" Was all he said.

My Father realized that I knew the truth but kept his mouth shut and didn't mention anything else. Within minutes the rest of the guests arrived. Adrian, Tasha and Viktoria were first to come in, followed by Alberta and Stan.

Dimitri and I greeted them and I was a little uncomfortable when I said hi to Stan, I mean we were like enemies because we never got along but his face when he saw my big belly, sticking out, was priceless. Alberta didn't seem that surprised but it was still kind of funny to see her. Adrian and Viktoria were acting like they didn't know the other was there. How obvious they were!

I just hoped that Dimitri wouldn't pay much attention to that little detail. But I was actually extra happy to see Tasha. She hugged me and immediately we were talking about small things like what she had been doing and how I was feeling the last couple of days.

Everyone brought gifts, even Stan. His gift was something small and I didn't open it afraid that it would be some sort of prank but I did open the others.

Lissa bought a whole set of different teddy bears and some dolls and one of those thingies where you put the baby when you're going out. Christian, I'm sure Lissa bought that and said it was from him, brought a set of bottles and formulas for the baby and most of them were pink or purple, girlish colors. My parents brought a beautiful crib, the kind that had some sort of veil around it when it was all set up and thank god it was white instead of pink because I swear that I would have puked if I saw more pink stuff.

But that wasn't everything. My Mom said that she got a bunch of baby clothes. There were dresses and little pants, shirts and God knows what else they bought all for the baby girl. I was amazed at how many clothes she had, she already had more than me and she wasn't even born yet. Dimitri watched with horror at how many dolls were round him, he was almost buried with all the things beneath all. But Adrian had to be the one that got over the top. He not only bought a small tricycle but also brought with him small car, one of those that kids could drive around and it was a small Silver BMW.

Dimitri gave him a look but he only shrugged.

Viktoria could barely contain her laughter as the rest of us.

"At least it has seatbelts" Dimitri murmured and Adrian burst out laughing. We all did because it was so like him to worry.

"Of course Dimitri, I'm not an idiot to give your child a car without seatbelts knowing who the mother is," They both smiled at each other.

Alberta bought a pretty dress that I loved so much and wished it came in my size.

Tasha kept on talking with me but then my parents wanted to talk to me and she started talking with Dimitri. Dimitri laughed and joked with her in a way that made me understand that no matter how much we loved each other, those two knew each other too well and will always have something to talk about. Old stories or memories about how they met or anything. They were Best Friends just like Lissa and I, that's why I didn't mind at all. I started a conversation with Adrian so Dimitri wouldn't hear whatever we were saying.

I dragged him to the kitchen.

**This chapter is a little childish, I admit it, but I at least hope you get a good laugh out of it. It was one of those days when you have no idea what your doing but you still do it, I don't know if you get it but besides that is the fact that I'd never really been in a baby shower. Sorry. **

**But anyways, I'm enjoying writing this story. I already have 450 pages in Microsoft Word written about this story, counting since the first chapter in After Shadow Kiss up until Turning Point. You guys have barely read 270, to this chapter, so I guess that you'll definitely enjoy it. And I have about sixty pages written in the third and last part of this story. Still looking for an appropriate name for it so I can't say anymore. Just have some patience and soon you'll be enjoying the whole thing with me. **

**You should probably let reviews thanking Becky for her side comments that trigger my brain to come up with amazing ideas for this story. And don't forget to review.**

**Disclaimer:**

**Dimitri: thank you Becky, really good idea you give Gen for this story.**

**Becky: -Gazing dreamily at him- uh huh great, your welcome.**

**Dimitri: Such a shame she's not the real owner of VA, but you should thank Richelle Mead for that.**

**Becky: Ok.**

**I come in and push to the side Becky to stand in front of Dimitri, she and I have the same dreamy look, kind of like fools.**

**Rose: Oh c'mon! Snap out of it!**

**Me: We will, just not yet. Hot Russian god still in the room…**

**Becky: More like Super Hot Russian God.**

**Dimitri: I shouldn't have let you bite them Rose, really. If this is how they are going to act, staring at me like stalkers and not write more for the fan fiction for the fans of this story… -Shakes his head disapprovingly- **

**Becky and me snap out of it to realize that we'd been day dreaming, again, with actually meeting Dimitri. Sighs, it was just a dream.**

**This wasn't so funny but I couldn't come up with anything else. Sorry.**

**Please, keep updating and I'll be happy, well me and Dimitri along with Rose and Becky.**

**Love y'all**


	18. Chapter 18

**I dragged him to the kitchen.**

"What are you doing with Viktoria?" I asked him as soon as I knew nobody else was listening. He didn't seem surprised at all by my question because Viktoria probably already had told him that I knew.

"I'm in love with her" He simply said with a grin that brightened the whole kitchen and I was so taken by surprise that it took me a wile to process what he just told me.

"You what? Are you serious?" I hissed but he didn't seem to mind, he was very busy thinking about Viktoria.

"Yes, I… love her" Again I almost threw up.

"Do you have any idea how Dimitri is going to take it? My Dad said that he saw you with her at the Academy and Dimitri reacted the way it was expected but I think that he forgot about it. For now." His grin faded a little.

"Really, he suspects?" He sounded kind of alarmed. "You have to help us Rose, try to make it better with him. Prepare him for when we're ready to tell him." He sounded almost… pleading. I smiled.

"Adrian what do you want me to do, tell him how amazing you are so he'll think that you're the best man for his sister?" I said with sarcasm and he smiled.

"Exactly, I was about to suggest it but you came up with it on your own." He said as he leaned against the counter.

"Fine but you owe me, big time Adrian and I'm going to ask you something in exchange of it, ok?" He nodded and I took a deep breath. "Treat her right, don't do anything to hurt her because she also loves you." I said and he let his guard down by giving me natural smile with no trace of sarcasm or mock.

"I won't, I swear" He said and I gave him a hug.

But when we hugged he took a step back for the baby and he got some cake on the side of his shirt because he had been leaning against the counter.

"I'm sorry!" I said and tried to take it off with a towel and we were way too close. I did know that but we were just friends and he was in love with Viktoria so I knew that he wouldn't try anything.

We were laughing as I tried to clean his shirt and only made it worse, but when someone cleared his throat we both turn and saw Dimitri carrying a tray of food.

His expression was blank and but in his eyes I could see something close to fury or jealousy. Our smiles faded and we stepped away from each other.

"I was just… his shirt is dirty… it was my fault" I said as I went to the sink and left there the towel.

"I… have to go back. I need to talk to… Tasha" He said and practically ran away.

Dimitri and I stared at each other a while longer and I think that he was scanning my face to know if I was lying. He must have realized that I wasn't lying because he nodded and left. His expression was still somber.

I stood there staring after him and then a tear ran down my cheek. He thought I was here meeting in secret with Adrian and he left thinking probably the worst. I felt like I was going to be sick.

In cue the baby started to try to stretch and it hurt a little so I had to lean against the counter and take a deep breath. The pain passed quickly after that and I was able to go back to the party.

I wasn't so happy anymore but the fact that I was surrounded by people I knew, and was getting to know, made me forget a little bit about how bad I felt. We ate and had fun. I even talked to Alberta about Dimitri's decision of going back to the Academy.

"I know, Kirova told me after you left" Alberta said. "but you shouldn't worry about anything Rose, you know what a great guardian he is."I knew it but I was very worried.

Dimitri kept on talking with Tasha the rest of the evening and he looked so frustrated that I felt very bad. Lissa came over to talk to me while I was sitting on the couch, alone.

"What's wrong? You look so miserable" She said as she sat down next to me and patted my leg. I threw a look around noticing that everyone else was talking to someone else and wasn't paying much attention to us.

"Dimitri saw me and Adrian in the kitchen and let's just say that it could have looked like something completely different to what I was really doing." I said looking down, ashamed of my self.

"What do you mean? Do you… is there… something between you and Adrian?" Lissa asked stuttering not really knowing how to say it. I looked up quickly and shook my head.

"Of course not! I was helping Adrian clean his shirt because it got dirty with cake and Dimitri walked in while we were laughing and joking. How can you think that he still has a thing for me when he's in love with Vik-?" I shut my mouth because I realized that she didn't know anything about it.

"He's in love?" she asked in disbelief.

"Yes, but you can't tell anybody, much less Dimitri understand?" I said and she nodded.

"I won't say anything but tell me who it is. Do we know her? And what does Dimitri have to do with it?" I loved the fact that we were back to gossiping just like we used to do back in the Academy.

"Its Viktoria, Dimitri's sister" I said and the shock looked on her face made me a little nervous because she looked like she was about to faint.

**DPOV**

When I went into the kitchen the first thing I saw was my Roza all over Adrian, well not exactly but she was dangerously close to him and they were both laughing and making comments that I didn't care about listening to because I was outraged. Something in my chest just felt awfully wrong and I had the urge to step forward and punch Adrian as hard as I could, but considering the fact that he was making her laugh and feel relaxed, I couldn't do anything.

Besides, the fact that he helped me getting her back was still fresh in my mind and wouldn't go away in a long time. I understood that they had a friendship and all but just seeing them like that really hurt. Adrian would always be her friend and she'd always want to have him close to her. Maybe that's why he came back to the Academy, so he could be close to her.

I tried to mask my emotions and only stared at them so when I cleared my throat and they both turned I was prepared with my face as blank and expressionless as a wall.

Both of them looked like little kids that were caught with their hands in the cookie jar. I felt like I was stabbed in the chest and tried my best to not let anything show. Their smiles faded.

"I was just… his shirt is dirty… it was my fault" she started to say and then she went to the sink.

I looked at Adrian who looked very confused but also sorry.

"I… have to go back. I need to talk to… Tasha" He said and then almost fled out the door.

I turned to see Roza and event though I knew that she told me the truth I was still hurt. I knew that she wasn't doing anything wrong with him I just needed someone to talk to, someone like Tasha. So I turned around and walked out of the kitchen.

I found Tasha just where I left her and sat down on the couch. She picked up my mood very quickly.

"Are you ok Dimka?" She asked and put a hand above my own.

"No, I'm not." I began and tried to find a way to tell her this without sounding as troubled as I was.

"You know you can tell me whatever you want." She said and I gave her a small smile because I knew it was true.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Rose talking to Lissa, Rose seemed so down but talking to Lissa seemed to cheer her up a bit.

I noticed that Roza must have said something appalling because the look of shock in her eyes was very noticeable. I tried to listen to their conversation but then I switched my attention to Tasha.

"Tasha do you know if Adrian still has a thing for Rose?" I asked as casually as possible so I wouldn't sound jealous or anything, even though I was. I saw her grinning out of the corner or my eye, though.

"No, he doesn't. Dimitri why do you even ask if you know how much she loves you?"

"I saw her and Adrian in the kitchen; they were a little bit too… close together. He makes her happy" I said and it was like slapping my self. Even though it was true, admitting it out loud was like trying to torture my self knowing that if she weren't with me she'd be with Adrian. She'd probably be having his child instead of mine, and worst of all was that she probably wouldn't have any complications in a pregnancy where a Moroi was the Father of her baby.

Because I did notice how her shape changed from her normal self, able to take down Strigoi and perfect skills, to a much thinner version of herself. She was very thin, looked so fragile that sometimes I wondered how it was possible to look like that and not break. Half the time I expected her to break or simply snap under the weight of her big belly that stuck out.

I sighed.

"Dimitri we are friends and talk but that doesn't mean you have a thing for me" Tasha explained with a small sad smile and I was about to say no, when I really thought about it.

If I hadn't met Rose I'm sure that I would have ended up with Tasha because I couldn't deny the fact that I did have feelings for her. She'd always be my friend and someone I could always count on, maybe something else but Rose was with me. I'm in love with Roza, we were going to have a baby and I could never leave my Roza. But Tasha would always have a special part of my heart.

"I know" Was all I could say.

"So stop worrying and enjoy this time that you have left, you won't look so smug when your daughter is born" I looked at her and her eyes sparkled with amusement. I smiled something that I had been doing more and more since I was with Roza.

"I know but would it sound masochistic to say that I can't wait to have her with me?" She laughed.

"You already sound like a Father, I'm sure you'll spoil the little girl rotten." She was very much right, I'd give my daughter everything I could to make her happy. But not just her, Roza too.

**RPOV**

After talking with Lissa and telling her everything I knew she seemed more and more far away from it than I thought she would. She seemed surprised and at the same time shocked.

"I know, I also couldn't believe that Adrian would be able to maintain a relationship, nor to fall in love" Lissa snorted.

"I never thought it was possible but maybe our Adrian has changed and Viktoria has so much to do with it." Lissa said happily. "Seems like the Belikov's have that power, of changing people I mean." I laughed.

"Yeah, I think so" I looked at Dimitri where he was chatting happily with Tasha, they seemed so happy together, almost a couple the way Dimitri smiled at her and the twinkle in her eyes. I felt a pang of jealousy, she was so pretty and slim, she almost looked Dimitri's age.

I wouldn't blame Dimitri for looking or for flirting with her.

Lissa followed my gaze and sighed.

"They're just talking you know? Its normal between friends Rose, you have nothing to worry about." I was sure that Lissa meant well at saying those things but I just wasn't in a very good mood, so I turned to her and glared.

"How do you know? For all we know he could be declaring his undying love for her." I snapped and she flinched, I took a deep breath and the baby moved. Somehow knowing that she was here with me soothed me a little bit.

"I'm sorry, I was just…" I interrupted her.

"I know, I shouldn't have said that. I'm just not my self lately." And it was true, every day that passed I felt more and more like someone else and I had this feeling of anxiety that I didn't like. My whole body ached and I had a horrible headache, nobody could blame me for not talking sweetly. Besides, ever since I got pregnant I felt my self growing weaker with each passing day.

"I understand, but try to calm yourself ok? I'm not a Dr. or anything but I know that getting upset doesn't help your baby." I sighed knowing that she was right.

Just then my parents came to say goodbye, they wished me well and left. Followed by Adrian, Viktoria and the other guardians from the Academy. Alberta gave me a hug and told me that she was sure I'd be a good mother and that everything would turn out fine, I only said bye to Alto.

Adrian gave me a big hug and kissed my cheek, I returned the kiss but I made it very quick so Dimitri, who was watching from the couch where he was saying goodbye to Tasha, wouldn't think wrong. Viktoria whispered in my ear, "Thank you Roza, for everything. I love you" then everyone was leaving.

Lissa said that she would come pick us up in two days, after getting my dress so I wouldn't have to go and get it my self. Which was very nice of her and I thanked her very much. Everyone else was also going to the wedding so we'd see each other there and I was actually looking forward to her wedding, that I was sure would be amazing, even though I didn't know anything about except that it was going to be at the court where the Queen gave her permission to have it.

I had expected the queen to not like the idea because she had been very obvious about the fact that she wanted Lissa to marry her nephew, who happened to be Adrian. But Lissa said no because she was in love with Christian and not Adrian, who was some sort of cousin. How gross would it be to marry one of your cousins?

When everyone left I went to the couch and lay there, I was so tired, but at the same time I knew that it was just a matter of time before I'd give birth to the baby and I would be my self again. Well, not exactly my self because the baby would need me full time, but something close to me, like my real shape and not this _three-times-bigger-than-me_ version.

I closed my eyes and almost fell asleep, but I felt Dimitri sitting on the couch next to me. He held my head and placed it on his legs, I was very content using his legs as pillow and snuggled closer. He stroke my hair tenderly and I sighed. I liked it when he did that, it felt special.

But I knew that I had to apologize for what happened before, because I didn't want Dimitri to think that there was something else besides amity between Adrian and me. He'd get the wrong picture and… well I didn't even want to think about it.

"I'm sorry, Dimitri" I said and I felt like crying, these hormones were like driving me crazy.

Dimitri sort of chuckled and didn't stop stroking my hair with his tender hands, which I took as a good sign. Was it possible that the one that got the wrong picture was me and he hadn't been jealous? No, I couldn't have misunderstood because I clearly saw his expression and he was upset. Unless that besides wanting to cry all the time, hallucinating was another pregnancy symptom, I was sticking to what I saw.

"Roza don't apologize, it's me who wasn't being fair. I should have known better than that and never mistrust you" He kissed my forehead and I gazed up at him. My head was on his legs so I was looking at him upside down, and he looked kind of funny so I smiled at him and he returned one of his rare smiles that weren't so rare anymore.

Because since we got out of the Academy he started to smile a lot more than he used to do, and nobody could blame him because when we were at the Academy we were so miserable not being able to be with each other.

"You know that you look kind of- aw!" The baby was reminding me that she was still there by kicking me and I flinched. Dimitri looked worried for a second but then he smiled, understanding, and patted my belly with affection.

The baby kept moving but only where Dimitri's hand was, as if shaking his hand or something and he must have realized that because his smile grew wider "Somehow I think that she knows who you are, you know? And I wouldn't be surprised if as soon as she's out she says Dimka or daddy. Though I'd bet she'd call you daddy" I said thoughtfully, and carefully watched his face as he grinned.

"I don't think so, maybe her first word would be Roza" He kissed my lips but we were on an awkward position and his chin bumped onto my nose making us laugh.

"Maybe" I said smiling and putting my hand over Dimitri's. It felt so right and normal. I was amazed at how easily our relationship was developing, not that I expected anything less because with Dimitri there was no doubt I'd be happy.

I sat up and kissed him the right way by wrapping my arms around his neck, he placed his hands on my hips and the kiss was phenomenal, like all of our kisses, it felt as if the kiss changed, from good to amazing every time. Then I was leaning back when a teddy bear said something that startled me.

"_I love you, I love you!_" the damn thing sang and I swear to god that he reminded me a lot of one of those horror movies where the doll turned out to be a killer or something and threw it across the room.

"I hate you, I hate you" I murmured under my breath and Dimitri laughed to himself.

"Somehow I doubt the stuffed animal understood a word you said after it crushed against the wall" Dimitri pointed out with a grin and I laughed.

"I don't like this sort of stuffed animals, we better go ahead and put them in one room so I won't have to keep seeing them." I suggested getting up but Dimitri caught my arm and sat me down again.

"I'll do it. You just sit here and wait; it won't take me that long." He got up faster than I would have done and started to gather the teddy bears, putting them on the other small living room where he was sure I wouldn't go knowing they were there. I think that the worst part was moving the drawers from one place to another, they were pretty heavy.

"Let me help you Dimitri, you'll break something" I said but he shook his head.

"I'll do it by my self and if I can't I cal always count on Adrian, I'm sure he wouldn't mind giving me a hand" He was joking but there was some bitterness in his voice and I flinched but smiled.

He moved everything to the other room and threw away the pink decoration and I was glad to see all the walls back to normal. At some point I must have fallen asleep because I recalled Dimitri carrying me up stairs and placing me gently on the bed.

**So what do you think? Love it, hate it? I don't really know but I guess that you have an insight in Dimitri's head on how much he loves Rose that he'd even be able to let her go if she didn't love him anymore. Sometimes we simply talk without thinking don't we? So keep reading and leave me Reviews so I can go at night and sleep peacefully knowing that you guys enjoy my story. And sorry but I won't be able to update in a while, maybe a week or more, so I'm really sorry. My aunt still hasn't put the internet at home, that bitch!**

**Anyhow, you guys will have aproximately forty something chapters in this story, counding the ones that I already postes and then the third and last part of this story. Hold on tight!**

**Love y'all and please review.**

**Thank you to Guardian2Be for all the amazing reviws and to everyone else who left a review. I really love you guys. **


	19. Chapter 19

I woke up with a smile on my face but I didn't know why, maybe I had a good dream but I didn't remember. So I got up and took a shower, not even bothering to look for Dimitri because he was probably downstairs making breakfast. The hot water felt amazing and I stayed there about twenty minutes before heading out and changing.

It was kind of cool outside and it was obvious I'd feel like that after taking a hot shower, so I didn't bother putting on a sweater. It was obvious that I wouldn0t feel so cold later. I dried my hair and went downstairs.

Dimitri was actually watching TV, or that's what I thought he'd been doing with the TV on but he wasn't. He was asleep on the couch, his head at an odd angle and he barely fitted on the couch. One of his legs was not covered by the blanket and he looked so cold that I felt bad.

Was it because of what happened yesterday that he chose to sleep on the couch, or was it because of how I looked now that he didn't even want to sleep with me anymore? I was panicking, I knew, but it was inevitable because I didn't know what had happened.

So I touched his arm gently and woke him up, his beautiful brown eyes gazed up at me and then he smiled, but it faded away as he moved and something must have hurt him because he started rubbing his neck.

"Roza, what are you doing here?" He sat up and stretched, I heard many of his bone making popping noises.

"I just woke up, but I'm going to go ahead and do some breakfast." I said and hurried towards the kitchen. Dimitri said something but I ignored him and started taking some things from the refrigerator to make something. I didn't know how to cook any of the food inside, so I opened one of the cabinets and got a box of macaronis and prepared that. It was rather very easy and when it was ready, Dimitri came in. His hair was wet and he was wearing his usual jeans and black T-shirt.

I tried to avoid his eyes as much as I could by serving the food but Dimitri came and got his own plate so I only had to serve my self. I sat on a chair and started eating. Dimitri sat next to me and sighed.

"Ok, tell me what's wrong" I opened my mouth to lie but he shook his head, "Don't even bother to try lying to me, you must already know that that doesn't work on me." I sighed.

"its nothing, I was just… nothing." I started eating and Dimitri waited till I swallowed the food to ask something else.

"Tell me" He said and I couldn't keep it any longer.

"Why were you on the couch instead of the room?" I asked him in a low whisper.

"Because I woke up in the middle of the night and found my self about to fall off the bed because someone was occupying most of the bed" He said with a small smile and I blushed.

"I'm sorry, you should have woken me up, not just come downstairs" I said and he shook his head.

"I didn't because you were very tired, besides, it wasn't that bad to sleep on the couch" He shrugged but I could tell he was also lying because he turned away when he said it.

"Please, when I came downstairs even in your sleep you were frowning. And I saw the way you were trying to make yourself fit on that thing" He laughed.

"I'll admit it, it was horrible but it was worth it if you had a goodnight's sleep" I nodded.

"I did" We ate in silence.

"I was thinking that maybe I should start getting ready the baby's room, what do you think?" He asked and I smiled brightly.

"Perfect, but I want to help" I said and before he could shake his head I added, "Not much but something." He seemed to think about it for a while and then he nodded, still not sure.

After having breakfast Dimitri had to go upstairs and started putting the crib together, it took him about half an hour to understand the manual and then we both began to put it together. It was so hard that it took us some time but when it was done Dimitri and I grinned at each other. The white crib looked beautiful; it was just like the picture on the box. I was so in love with it that I wanted to cry but I managed not to.

"Well, that looks perfect. I'll bring the drawers and put them in place before we bring the other stuff." I nodded.

Dimitri disappeared and when he came back he was moving the drawers easily, why? I don't know. The day before they seemed heavier. Anyways he arranged the room and it looked pretty but there were a million things downstairs, clothes, diapers and all the stuff that they brought us yesterday. I went down stairs as he finished with the room and took with me as much as I could back up stairs.

Dimitri smiled and went downstairs for more. I was rather happy to be able to help and I was so going to make this room look awesome for the baby. It was my big belly that didn't let me move as fast as I wanted, if I hadn't been pregnant then it would have taken me less to set everything up. I could have gone up and down the stairs many times to help Dimitri but I couldn't. I got tired very often and the baby would decide to kick in the less desirable moment so I'd have to stop to take a break.

Dimitri would also take a break to make sure I was fine, then kept on bringing stuff and I keep putting the on place.

The teddy bears and some dolls ended up on top of the drawers, though some I put them in the closet because I didn't like them. The other stuff like bottles and diapers along with the formulas, Dimitri put them on top of a dresser.

Everything looked perfect when we were done with it. I looked around the room for something that looked out of place but it was perfect. It was like a dream or something. I felt slightly dazed because I couldn't believe this would be my new life, my life with Dimitri and my baby. The two persons I loved the most and wouldn't be able to live without.

Everything still felt like a dream.

"Its perfect" I murmured and I felt a kick from the baby.

After that Dimitri and I went downstairs for something to eat, it took us all morning to get ready that room and I was feeling so exhausted that even chewing felt like a great effort. I had a very bad headache and my body felt sore but I was happy that the room for our baby was ready.

The food didn't taste so good anymore and I felt nauseous, I ran to the bathroom and threw up everything I ate. It was hell having to relive all that. It had been weeks since the last time I had those symptoms and I thought that they were over but apparently not.

Dimitri came in after I started to throw up and brushed the hair out of my face, he murmured something in Russian, it was soothing, but it couldn't take my mind off the awful symptoms. I had an awful headache and I felt like when I first went back to the Academy and Mason kicked my ass. I remember feeling sore the next day, after my first practice after school with Dimitri.

But recalling Mason made me feel so sad, I felt like I was being suffocated and the air couldn't get into my lungs. After washing my mouth on the sink I started weeping and sobbing against Dimitri's chest. He carried me to bed and lay beside me till I was only sobbing. I couldn't believe that I had such a major break down over something I thought I had under control.

The guilt I felt after Mason's death seemed to have gotten to the back of my mind but somehow now even throwing up reminded me of him and how awful life could be. Mason dies because of a stupid crush he had on me, and I say stupid because if I had been smarted and told him that I was in love with Dimitri he might have backed off and left me there to deal on my own with the other Strigoi, he might still be alive and Guarding a Moroi like he wanted.

Here I was wasting my big opportunity of being a guardian when that's what Mason would have wanted, oh my Mason. Why did he have to die? I should have killed the Strigoi sooner, he'd still be alive.

"Roza is there something wrong? Does something hurt?" He asked but I didn't answer, I just hugged him tighter.

Dimitri's body so close to mine made me feel save and loved, I knew that as long as I was with him nothing could hurt me, he'd defend me from anything. I didn't know what I'd do without him.

"Dimitri I can't deal with this anymore, I can't stand being pregnant anymore. I feel like hell all the time, I just threw up and…" He interrupted me by giving me a small kiss on my lips. Tears were rolling down my cheeks and he wiped them away with his thumb.

He smiled at me, a small smile, and brushed the hair out of my face.

"Roza of course you can," He placed both of his hands on my belly and caressed me softly. "Its only a couple of weeks away and then it'll be over. I'm here with you and I'll help you through it" His reassuring words had some effect on me but I was still upset.

"I'm scared Dimitri" I said looking up at him in the eyes.

"I'm here, I won't go anywhere" He kissed me softly and I sighed.

If he was with me then I wouldn't have to worry about anything, he'd help me through it and we'd be happy.

I was standing in the doorway, waiting for Dimitri to bring the rest of the suitcases so we could get going already. Lissa was waiting at the airport for us and the cab was outside. We had exactly twenty minutes to get to the airport. I was very thankful that she picked up the dress already because I didn't want to have to go back to the mall, the place felt too crowded and I wasn't in the mood for anything.

When Dimitri finally came through the door we went into the cab and headed for the airport.

We only packed a couple of clothes because we would only be a couple of days at court, I wasn't going to spend more than a couple of days with the Queen bitch. She might have been nice to Lissa by letting her have her wedding at court but that didn't mean that she suddenly fell in love with me.

Last time I was in court things didn't end up that good between her and me. But what really had me worrying was that she didn't know anything about Dimitri and me. When were at court last time we testified against Victor, he mentioned something about statutory rape and everyone dismissed it as a sick joke. Now I didn't know how she might react and I was really stressed about it.

It wasn't late for her to do something to Dimitri for falling in love with me, throwing him in jail was an option and I just wouldn't be able to deal with that. I wouldn't be able to go through anything without him. I needed him more than ever.

But I was also a little bit relieved for being able to get rid of the guardians that my Dad had patrolling around the house. They were going to stay at the house while we were at court and weren't following us around, thank God. We'd be very well guarded at court.

I started twitching my fingers, I was so nervous.

Dimitri placed a hand above mine so I'd stop and I looked at him, he was smiling. I didn't understand why he'd be smiling if we were about to face the Queen.

"Why are you smiling? Do you not understand the risk we're taking? She could charge you with something and get you away from me" I explained but he just shook his head.

"She can't, we didn't do anything wrong till about two weeks before your birthday and nobody knows exactly when." He shrugged.

"But she's not stupid, it won't take her long to add two and two together to realize that Victor was right. Even if we didn't do anything, she will find an excuse. Besides, the pregnancy is proof of what happened." I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated and annoyed, though I didn't know at who or what. I just wasn't in the mood for anything and the cab was a little too small, I felt trapped. "It doesn't look like a seven month pregnancy. I'm bigger, fatter and uglier." I complained, crossing my arms over my chest.

"Roza don't start with that again" Dimitri said, sliding his hand up and down my thigh, which was visible because I was wearing a dress. "I already told you how beautiful you look, please don't make me have to demonstrate you how much" His clever hand stopped at the hem of my dress and put it on my belly.

I definitely wanted him to demonstrate how much he loved me but I knew we were in a cab on our way to court where the Queen bitch could probably do something to Dimitri or me.

"As soon as we're alone you are going to have to work out with me," I told him struggling to catch my breath. He chuckled.

By the time we boarded the jet, I was already dying from anxiety, I was so tense that I didn't notice the awful headache that was building inside my brain till I was on my seat with Dimitri beside me. Lissa was in front of us with Christian next to her, they were cuddled together, and whispering into each other's ear.

They looked so in love that I had to smile, remembering those times I got sucked into Lissa's mind when she was going at it with Christian. I let out a small laugh and everyone turned to me.

"What's so funny?" Dimitri asked, he had a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Nothing is just that I remembered something rather funny." I said looking at Christian, he looked confused. "It's a very interesting birthmark you have on your chest and shoulder you know?" It took Christian a minute to realize what I was talking about and when he did he blushed.

Lissa laughed and Dimitri simply stared at me.

"It was a nightmare you know? One I hope won't happen again because I have better things to do now" I trailed one hand down from Dimitri's chest but he caught my hand before it could go any farther and let out a hysterical laugh.

"Roza," He warned and I kissed him. But then the headache intensified and I flinched. "What's wrong?"

I didn't answer, I was too busy clutching my skull because it was threatening to fracture. It hurt so much that I couldn't talk.

"Rose do you want me to help you?" Lissa asked but I shook my head. It had been a while since she suffered from the effects of Spirit and I didn't want to change that now.

"I'm ok, don't use Spirit please, I don't want to take the darkness from you" I said panting, "no matter how bad it gets please promise me that you won't use it"

"Fine," she whispered.

I snuggled closer to Dimitri and he put an arm around me. I closed my eyes and tried to block the pain but it was nearly impossible. The feeling of my skull breaking into two just wouldn't disappear.

"Lissa I need you to do me a favor" I said through clenched teeth.

"Do you want me to help you?" She asked hopefully but I shook my head.

"No, I need you to find out what does the Queen think about Dimitri and me, as soon as we get to court you go and try to talk to her" Lissa sighed.

"Rose I don't think she cares, otherwise she wouldn't have let me have my wedding at court." She explained but I wasn't so sure.

"I don't want to take any chances." I heard Dimitri say something else to Lissa but I didn't care because I only concentrated on falling asleep.

I opened my eyes and I was in a beautiful beach, the water was translucent and the sky so blue. I could almost feel the sun on my skin. I was laying on the sand and I started playing with it. I sat up and touched my toes, it felt so good to be able to it that I almost forgot that I was pregnant and wasn't supposed to be able to.

I got up so fast that I almost lost my balance. My hand went to my flat belly and I panicked.

"Rose its just a dream" I heard someone say and I spun around to face him. It was Adrian of course, he had the usual smirk on his face and I screamed. I hadn't been expecting to see him and I was very surprised. "I'm sorry I scared you, please don't kick my ass" He pleaded with fake fear.

I laughed.

"Don't worry, I'm actually grateful that you gave me some time without my big belly, even if its just in my dreams." I smiled and sat on the sand again.

He sat beside me and we just stared at the water. It felt almost normal to be together like this with him, after all we've been through he was my second best friend.

"So how are things going on with Viktoria?" I asked suddenly and he grinned like an idiot.

"Things are great, awesome, perfect…" Before he could say something else I interrupted him.

"Ok I get it, but did you decide when to tell Dimitri? I don't think you should still keep this from him, he'll be very upset" I warned him and then leaned back.

"I know but I happen to appreciate my face and bones, I don't want to end up in a morgue. But I think I may have an idea, what if I tell him the day your baby is born?" I looked at him in horror and shook my head.

"I don't want to have to celebrate my baby's birthday along with your death anniversary" I complained and he burst out laughing.

"I'm being serious Rose, that day he'll be so happy that he'll barely notice us." He shrugged.

"Oh yeah but what about next day when he's in a bad mood after staying up all night taking care of the baby uh?" His smile faltered a bit but then he brightened.

"You'll help us right Rosie? I know you love me too much to let my pretty face go to waste and Viktoria loves me even more. I need your help!" ok so he was desperate.

"Fine, but I'm only doing it for Viktoria," I said and he laughed and gave me a hug.

"That's ok, I know how much you love me anyways" We both laughed and suddenly I remembered my problem with his aunt.

"Now I need you to do me a favor," He nodded solemnly and I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding. It was such a relief to know that I could count on him. "I need you to help me with the Queen, its not a secret that she doesn't like me since she thought that we had a thing and now that Dimitri and I are finally together I'm worried that she'll try something against us" I explained and he nodded thoughtful.

"I'll talk to her" I shook my head.

"Don't talk to her, just find out if she's planning something." He nodded.

"But why would she try something? You said that she didn't like you, why'd she bother with you?" I sighed exasperated that he didn't get it.

"Its not just that she doesn't like me, my relationship with Dimitri almost got out at Victor's trial when he made that stupid comment about statutory rape." Adrian snorted remembering. "But the worst part is that we lied at the trial" He sobered up and I had his attention. "We lied when we said that I attacked him the night Victor kidnapped Lissa because I didn't really attack him, but you already knew that, we almost had sex." He didn't laugh or anything but the look of shock in his eyes told me that he realized our big problem.

"So… she'll realize the lie and…" I nodded.

"I need to know with time so we can think of something, Adrian I can't be away from him. If your aunt decides to do something I don't know what I'd do." I buried my face in my hands. I didn't know what to do.

"I'll find out and if she plans something I'll interfere because if I'm going to be with Viktoria I don't think that I'd like to see the cradle robber in jail." I laughed at his stupid nickname for Dimitri and he grinned.

"Thank you Adrian, you're the best" I told him.

"I know" His smirk was back and I was happy to stay in that place with him.

Suddenly everything started to get blurry and I sighed.

"You're waking up" He announced.

"I know, I'll see you later. But just promise me that you will talk to the Queen as soon as you can" He nodded just before I opened my eyes and watched Dimitri smiling at me.

**Ohhh, do you guys think that the Queen is up to something or is just Rose imagining things? This is where the turning point really begins, where everything will either stay the same or change, what do you think? I'm more than happy with the couple of reviews I got from you in the last chapter that I just put in the morning but because I really love you and trust you I'm going to put another one besides this one and I'm trusting you with reviewing all three of them, please. If you review the tree chapters then I'll continue with the story if not then I won't update till august, you decide. **

Love, Gen


	20. Chapter 20

"**You're waking up" He announced.**

"**I know, I'll see you later. But just promise me that you will talk to the Queen as soon as you can" He nodded just before I opened my eyes and watched Dimitri smiling at me.**

I was still leaning against his chest so I pulled away a little to stretch; I rubbed my eyes and looked at him again. In front of us Lissa was also leaning against Christian's chest and she was asleep. Fire Boy was also sleeping but he was hugging Lissa very tight.

"What's wrong?" I asked and he shrugged.

"Nothing, its just that you were kind of frowning and you didn't look very happy. I thought you were having a nightmare." I shook my head, the headache still throbbing inside my skull but I made a better job at hiding my pain this time.

I leaned against him again and his arms around me felt wonderful.

"Dimitri I was talking to Adrian" I said looking up at him. He smiled.

"I guess that counts as a nightmare" He was joking of course and we both laughed.

"Not this time, I asked him if he could try to find out if the Queen bitch had something planned." Dimitri sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He did that most of the time when he was frustrated.

"Roza, we already talked about this…" I cut him off.

"Yes, but your wrong. She can do whatever she wants because we lied at Victor's trial" His eyes widened and he winced. He hadn't thought about it either. But I was right and for once I hated it. "And we can't do much of she realizes that and decides to do something."

"We'll have to talk to her about it" He began but I shook my head.

"We can't do that, she hates me, she might not have anything against you but she does against me and for that matter she'll suddenly develop a dislike for you" Ok, I was babbling.

"Roza please stop worrying too much, maybe she won't even care, have you considered that?" His gaze bore into mine, the warmth spread through me and I sighed. He was right, I needed to calm down.

"Maybe, but I don't think so." Why did everything have to be so hard? Why couldn't I just be happy with Dimitri? I just wanted some peace but it seemed like I wouldn't get any of it.

"We'll deal with it later, just relax." I nodded and closed my eye again but it was very obvious that I wouldn't fall asleep anymore and with the awful headache I had that's what I wished the most at that time.

The next two hours were hell, the pounding headache didn't go away, it stayed till we landed. It began to disappear when we were walking through the hall towards the room that we were assigned to. Lissa accompanied us to our room while Christian went to tell Adrian, who had been here since yesterday along with Viktoria and the other guests that we were already here.

I wasn't in the mood to talk but if Adrian had some news then that was ok.

Lissa excused herself when she showed our rooms and then Dimitri helped me unpack, we did it in silence because between Dimitri and me the words weren't necessary. It was only smiles, kisses and once in a while I'd, accidently, brush my hand over his chest or pinch his butt, to which he grinned. Once he even did much as to put his arm around my waist and spun me around to face me.

"You like to play uh?" He asked as he kissed my neck and I shivered, but the smile on my face grew wider.

"I do, what do you have in mind?" I cupped his face between my hands and they were filled with lust, his desire was almost tangible and it matched my own.

"Hmm, many things" He kissed me then, a kiss that melt me and started a fire that burned my veins.

**VPOV**

I was watching Adrian sleep, he looked so handsome and calm. His sleeping form just as gorgeous as when he was awake and I smiled to my self despite my promise that I wouldn't watch him like this, it would seem creepy but I couldn't help it.

For some reason we were in love and I loved it. I loved being with him and he loved to be with me. Since we got here yesterday, along with Roza's parents, Tasha, Alberta and Kirova, we tried to be discreet about our relationship so nobody would notice because all of the people in the plane knew Dimitri and would probably tell him if they saw me kissing Adrian. That was one of the inconveniences of being the little sister of such a well-known and respectable brig brother.

I sighed and got up from the bed, I had nothing to do. My dress was hanging in the closet, waiting for me to put it on tomorrow for Lissa's wedding. She chose it for me and I really liked it, she just told me not to tell Dimitri that she paid for the dress, but after all I was one of the bridesmaids and it was completely ok for her to choose and buy the dresses.

I knew that Roza was supposed to get here today, Lissa and Christian went back to pick them up and they'd be here any minute now, so I was waiting anxiously for her. I really wanted to talk to her and ask her for help about telling Dimka because I had my suspicions that her Father already knew something because he had been watching us the whole fly over here. He never said anything but it was just a matter of time before he'd ask Dimka maybe thinking that, being my brother and all, he'd already know.

Adrian and I couldn't risk getting caught that way because I wanted Dimka to like Adrian, event though I knew he had nothing against him but would hate him when he'd realize that we lied to him. I was rather surprised to know that he hadn't figured it out yet Roza did, and even said that she and Dimitri had been like this also.

I just wanted to know if everything would turn out ok after telling Dimitri about us. Would he feel betrayed, or just hate me? Of course he'd feel betrayed and hate me, I lied to him.

I walked back to the bed and just sat there, I felt so bad. I turned around to keep watching Adrian sleep but he was the one that was watching _me_.

"Why looking so sad?" He asked, then he pulled me closer to him, his arms circled my waist and I let my self relax against him.

"I was thinking about Dimka, when are we going to tell him?" I asked and he sighed.

"I was talking with rose and…" I cut him off.

"What? When?" then I remembered that he could dream walk, how could I have forgotten?

"Just right now, they're on their way and she said that she was going to try to help us, I think we should tell him the day Rose gives birth so he'll be happy" I laughed.

"Do you really think that just because he'll be happy that day the next one he won't hunt you down?" It was obvious, Dimka might let him go that day but the next he'd be looking for answers and things might get ugly.

"Yeah, Rose said the same thing" He said rubbing his chin with one hand. "But she also asked me a favor" I looked at him expectantly. "She said that my aunt might do something against her and Dimitri because they lied at the Victor's trial" I had no idea what he was talking about. I knew something about Victor Dashkov. he was the one that kidnapped the princess because he was sick or something. And I also knew that he put the lust spell on Roza so she'd 'attack' Dimitri that night.

Roza and Dimitri testified against him but I didn't understand where they lied.

"When did they lie?" I asked and he turned to me.

"Well, at that time nobody knew about their relationship as you might understand why because she was still a student so they had to lie about what happened with the lust charm, they only said that she attacked him but they didn't say how" He snorted and I smacked his arm. "well that what happened! But anyways, I have to find out my aunt's plans for those two." He got up and stretched. "you should come with me so you can meet her, after all you'll be seeing a lot of her now"

I gaped at him.

"No! If Dimitri doesn't know anything I don't think that she should know either." I said as gently as possible because it wasn't just that, I was afraid that she'd think that I wasn't good enough for Adrian. After all I was just another Damphir that Adrian met.

"Ok," Even though he said it carelessly I knew that it hurt him to not be able to say anything about us too. "But I should go, I need to have a talk with my Aunt." He kissed me and then left.

I sighed, not really knowing how I should react. Would it be too much to ask for a normal life?

**APOV**

I closed the door behind me and I took a deep breath. I didn't know what to do to make her feel better, I knew that it hurt her to lie to her brother about us but we had to be cautious. Now I had to lie to my aunt, ask her about her diabolical plot against Rose and talk to Dimitri.

Was the world against me?

I walked all the way to my Aunt's place, Priscilla smiled at me as I made my way into the Queen's office. I knocked and a Guardian opened the door.

"Lord Adrian Ivashkov" He announced, he didn't really looked like he cared about anything.

So I went in and my Aunt smiled, it was the smile she used for everyone, the business like one. I smiled too, the most charming smile I could master, and believe when I say that it was charming, thanks to Spirit powers I was very charismatic. She didn't seem to notice my tense body or anything, she usually didn't notice anything weird about me.

Though I could see that she was surprised when she realized that I wasn't drunk or anything.

"Welcome back Adrian" She greeted me and gestured me to sit.

So I did, I sat on the love seat in front of her and tried to look as relaxed as ever but it was very hard. All I could think of was Viktoria and the fact that the time to tell Dimitri about her and me was coming. Sooner or later my Aunt and Father would know too and I could only imagine their reactions.

A relationship between a Damphir and Moroi, outside of bed of course, wasn't seeing as something good, ever. It was just as bad a relationship between two Damphirs that resigned their jobs as Guardians so I knew that it was going to be just as hard for Vitoria and as it was for Dimitri and Rose.

"Its good to be back Aunt, how are things going over here? I suppose the wedding will be held at the big salon over here." Was this a good way to approach the subject? I didn't want to make things worse.

"Oh yes, Vasilisa's wedding will be there though I have to admit that her choice doesn't pleases me" she frowned and I panicked, I didn't want her to be in a bad mood.

"Its her choice who she marries," I had the urge to go to her rescue but when she looked up she didn't look happy. "I heard you wanted her to be with me" I finished and she smiled, not a real one of course but her smile that sent chills through my body.

I knew her very well, I knew that smile and I didn't like it. She looked like she was remembering something and I was sure I wouldn't like it.

"I suppose you talked to that novice, Rosemarie Hathaway" Yup, the tone she used to address Rose wasn't a friendly one. It was obvious her dislike towards her and she wasn't trying to hide it. I had to clench my jaw so I wouldn't say something inappropriate and endanger my chances to help her. "Vasilisa always insisted that she was a great Guardian and she should guard her but turns out she resigned." The disgust in her voice was so obvious.

"Rose had her reasons and we can't force the Damphirs to be guardians, its their choice and Rose chose not to follow her mother's steps" I said sounding a little too defensively. She narrowed her eyes, suspicion was there and I didn't like very much the look she was giving me.

"Guardian Hathaway, has a very good reputation among guardians and I've never had any complains. She's now Guarding Abe Mazur, Rosemarie's Father, wasting her talent guarding a non-Royal" she tsk'd and it took every ounce of will power I possessed to not say anything to defend Rose's Mother. The woman might be kind of unfair sometimes with Rose, like when she told her about her relationship with Dimitri, but she loved her daughter and I think that even her Father.

"She's a remarkable woman, she really loves her daughter" I said more to my self than anyone else. But the suspicion in her eyes stayed there. I think she knew I was there for something else.

"I don't doubt that, but perhaps the St. Vladimir Academy didn't teach that daughter of hers so well. To end up with her mentor, and now pregnant." Of course she knew about it, nothing slipped past her. I was just hoping that she wouldn't bring up the trail.

"She fell in love with her mentor, yes, and they're happy together." I piped in but she didn't look pleased at all. So I made a note to not say many pleasant things in front of her. A year ago I wouldn't have cared about two Damphirs getting together, much less about his little sister because I was trying to get through the day by getting drunk so I wouldn't feel so depressed.

Now things were different, I was different.

"I just don't understand how it's possible that that man, what's his name?" I sighed.

"Dimitri Belikov" I said trying to be patient, Dimitri was one of the best Guardians and she didn't even know his name.

"_The_ Dimitri Belikov?" So she knew about him and I didn't like the way she said that.

"Yes, he's one of the best guardians you had, till he also resigned to go with Rose back to Russia. They were there a couple of months till…" I said too much but she already knew what happened there.

"… She was kidnapped by the Strigoi, heard all about it. It was quiet a scandal over here. But what I don't understand is why such a respected and talented Guardian would give everything up for a little and irresponsible girl that's carrying another man's baby." She snickered and I had to clench my hands into fists to keep my self from hitting something.

She looked up and must have seen my expression because she stopped smiling and I saw a flicker of anger and she rose from her seat. My anger disappeared and I was almost trembling like a little girl. I certainly didn't like being anywhere near my aunt when she was mad.

"Why do you care so much about that girl?" Her eyes were almost glowing with anger. She started pacing back and forth. "I told her to stay away from you, she evidently didn't do as I told her to. I knew that girl was only trouble. I should have done something sooner. Now is too late." I didn't understand anything. I knew she told Rose to stay away from me because she thought there was something between her and me, when she told me I wished it was true but it wasn't, it never was.

She was already in love with Dimitri.

"Aunt" I began but she cut me off.

"Don't even try to charm me to get out of this because it won't work. I can't believe you… you… and her… augh!" the frustration in her voice confused me even more. "I thought that her relationship began with her mentor when she was at school and that they lied at Victor's trial… for god's sake I was even going to bother my self to punish those two but I was so wrong." I didn't like where this was heading. "I didn't give much thought as to whose baby it was but now that I know… Adrian how could you!" I was taken back. "I knew you weren't a white dove, that you had many affairs but I never thought that you'd be stupid enough to let her get pregnant with your child"

I blinked several times. She thought the baby was mine. Ha! What a fool! If I played along with this, what could go wrong? Dimitri and Rose wouldn't have to worry about anything. She could think that it didn't work out between us so we drifted apart and then she started a relationship with Dimitri when I asked her mentor to take her to Russia so nobody would realize my mistake.

The set up was perfect. That would make a great excuse as to why I went to Russia so suddenly when she was kidnapped, because I still cared about her even though I was with Tasha and that's when I fell in love with Viktoria.

I was such a genius.

"I-I'm sorry, I tried to hide it. I knew that Dimitri was going to resign and go back to Russian with his family so I paid him some money to take her with him while she was pregnant." I began, the lie coming smoothly and I congratulated my self. "It was perfect because then they'd think that it was someone else's and he just accepted the baby" She sat down. "Nobody else knows the truth beside the three of us, then I met someone else and I'm with her right now while Dimitri and Rose are together. Nobody will think otherwise so I'm asking you to simply let it go if you don't want any scandals."

"I can't do that I…" I cut her off.

"If someone gets a word of this it will make us look bad, I didn't want that that's why I tried to send her away." I explained getting up and put the palms of my hands on her desk, leaning in. "We can keep this a secret, you don't even have to bother with them, just let them be. He wants to Father the child, that's fine by me. I don't want that child" I kept my voice low. "They didn't even lie at the stupid trial," I used the minimum of compulsion on her trying to make her to believe the lie. She was still a little suspicious though but she nodded.

"Fine, I won't try anything as long as the male Damphir keeps his mouth shut and that slut stays away from you" She sounded so insulted but I managed to keep my mouth shut. "But I'll need to think of something so I'll be sure those two will stay quiet." She was quiet for a moment, thinking, and then she waved her hand dismissively. "You can go for now, we'll talk more about this later"

I said goodbye to her and walked out of there feeling sick. Even though my plan worked there was still that problem of her thinking for the solution. I had a bad feeling about it.

On my way back to my room I bumped into Christian, he was whistling like a damn happy bird.

"Oh, glad I found you. Rose and Dimitri are in the guest's room waiting for you. They asked me to look for you and send you there" He was beaming and I wanted to punch him just so he'd stop looking at me like that. But I guess that every man who's about to sign his death sentence by marrying looks like that when they're naïve and in love.

"Ok, I'm just going to tell Viktoria…" He cut me off.

"She wanted you, now. Please just go or she'll be pissed off at me, then Lissa will get pissed off and I won't have fun tonight, I'll look for Viktoria" I nodded and he kept walking to my room.

I tried to concentrate on something else besides the fact that I was in deep trouble and sinking deep into shit. But it was for a good cause, I was helping Rose and Dimitri, at the same time my self by convincing Dimitri that I wasn't as bad as my reputation said.

All I had to do was keep everything up till after the wedding when they would be leaving and everything would be alright. Viktoria and I'd be happy and with Dimitri's permission. Everything was going to be alright, there was nothing to worry about.

I got to the guests room and knocked once, I waited but nobody opened. Oh for god's sake what was taking them so long? I had other stuff to do, like keep on planning my almost flawless evil plan against my own aunt. Couldn't they be a little more sensitive?

I turned the doorknob and the door swung open, great I could be a very smart Strigoi that got past security and they'd be dead. I walked in and I heard noises, weird noises.

"Oh… please… Oh my god." That was Rose, but where was Dimitri? She could be having the baby right now and the idiot wasn't here.

Then I heard her moan and groan, not just her, I also heard him. Dimitri both of them were making noises and I thought that maybe she was having the baby and he, like the average male, didn't know what to do and they were both panicking.

So walked faster to the bedroom and stopped dead on my tracks when I opened the door and saw them on the bed, half covered by the blankets half visible and the image almost burned my eyes. Printed for ever and disgusting. Those two were having sex and I just saw it! I felt like I was going to puke. I definitely didn't need to see him like that, half naked and making noises. Oh for god's sake why didn't I just keep on knocking?

"That doesn't look very comfortable" I said, trying to keep the smirk on my face so I wouldn't puke.

Both of them turned to me. Dimitri looked confused, Rose turned a bright red and tried to cover herself with Dimitri's body, which was by the way very much visible because the bedspread was mostly covering Rose not him. Dimitri helped her to cover herself.

"What are you doing in here Adrian, ever hear of knocking?" Dimitri didn't sound happy at all so I backed away and went into the living room.

"Roza take it easy, its ok" I heard him murmur.

I sat on one of the couches and took a deep breath, this wasn't going to be cute at all.

**This is really funny, Dimitri and Rose getting caught... hahahah. Did you like it, hated it? Review and tell me. The next chapter will be posted in about a week as soon as I can and consider this three chapter a treat from me. I need reviews from you, remember?**

**Tell me if you are guessing what will happen, do you think that what the queen is planning is good or bad, will she do something about it or not? And what about the big lie Adrian made up and told Tatiana, ohh she gonna be mad when she know the truth... Please, please review and say more than 'great chapter' or 'update soon' because then I get kind of disappointed. So tell me what you think of this, what you going to do for the summer, anything. And if you want you can give me ideas too. I appreciate everything.**


	21. Chapter 21

**RPOV**

The moment Adrian talked I blushed a deep red and tried to shield my self with Dimitri's body, I was so embarrassed for being caught like this with Dimitri. I should have reminded him of closing the door, but why the hell didn't Adrian at least knock? I thought that because he was the Queen's nephew he'd have manners and not just come into a room like this.

"What are you doing in here Adrian, ever here of knocking?" I heard Dimitri say as he helped me to look for my dress, at the same time covering my naked upper body with the bedspread. I heard Adrian leave, closing the door behind him, and I let out a breath.

I stood up from Dimitri's embrace so fast that I almost fell on my butt but Dimitri caught me on time and handed me my dress.

"Roza take it easy, it's ok" He said but I just shook my head, not being able to make eye contact with him yet. It had been my fault that we ended up like this, I pushed him to his limit by teasing him and he gave in. but I didn't regretted it because I loved those moments I was with him.

Though it ended when things were getting hot because Adrian came in, God how was I going to look at him in the eyes knowing that he saw me sprawled on the bed with Dimitri having sex, or almost.

I found my panties on the floor but I couldn't get them because my belly was on the way so Dimitri handed them to me and I put them on, I didn't need a bra because of the dress so I just put it on and tried to fix my hair.

If my guilty face didn't gave me away then the messy hair and swollen lips would, my hair scream hot-make-out-cession-and-maybe-even-sex. Dimitri put on his jeans and tee back on and he was ready.

"Roza, I'm sorry. I should have closed the door" I shook my head. He came from behind me as I stared at my self in the mirror and wrapped his arms around me, placing them on my belly and caressing the spot where I was the more ticklish, just below my belly. I sighed and melted.

"I-it's ok" I managed to say and then woke my self up by reminding my self that Adrian was still in the living room, waiting for us. I kissed tilted my head upwards and kissed him, then I reminded him of Adrian and he made a sound low in his throat, like a growl. He wasn't very happy either.

We walked into the living room to find Adrian on the couch, head buried in his hands and looking very much devastated. I took that as a bad sign and grimaced. Dimitri realized the same and squeezed my hand. If there was something wrong we'd face it together, nothing would separate us now.

We sat in front of Adrian and he looked up, I tried avoiding his eyes.

"You were right, she was planning something" He began and I had the urge to cry. Why couldn't I just be happy?

Dimitri flinched beside me but kept his face normal, fighting for control again.

"What exactly is she planning?" He asked cautiously.

"She was going to do something about the trial where you both lied, she was very pissed off" I was right of course, she probably used Lissa's wedding as an excuse to lure me to her lair and do something about us.

I shouldn't have let Dimitri convince me of coming here so easily, I should have argued more to stay in Russia where she wouldn't be able to get us so effortlessly. This was so wrong.

"did she tell you something besides that, does she know that you knew about everything?" I answered my own question got up and started to pace back and forth around the room. "Of course not, you're not an idiot. You probably just asked about it in the most casual way so you wouldn't get involved in this. Great job" I ran a hand through my hand and almost screamed in frustration.

"Rose.." I spun around and cut him off.

"Don't worry, I wouldn't want to get involved either so it'll be better if you just leave and let Dimitri and I to talk about what we're going to do." Maybe talk to my Father, he'd help us.

Adrian looked hurt but he still shook his head.

"Adrian, we have to think about this. I'll let you know later what we decide so just please try to distract your aunt for a couple of hours, if you can till after the wedding" Dimitri began, looking very pissed off. "We need as much time as we can have.

"I already have the solution" I stopped pacing around the room and face him. Just a couple of minutes and he already knew what to do? I wanted to kiss him! But he knew better his aunt, which was very helpful.

Dimitri looked skeptical but asked anyways.

"What is that? I hope it's good Adrian" Adrian smiled sadly.

"Well a small white lie can be covered by another one, right?" I didn't like where this was going already. If he lied then things were going to get ugly and worse. I wanted to make things better not worse and Adrian maybe already tainted my only opportunity.

I groaned and sat beside Dimitri again, he pulled me closer to him. At that moment I needed his comfort so much because I felt like the world was falling on me.

Dimitri exhaled noisily also knowing that Adrian's lies weren't going to do any good.

"What did you say this time?" Dimitri rubbed his forehead and closed his eyes.

"please don't get angry, it was the only thing that came to my mind when she mentioned it and you won't have to do anything else but to play along. Nobody else will have to know and it will be over when you go back to your place" At this moment I already knew it was very bad.

"Just say it already!" I almost screamed and he nodded.

"The queen things that your baby is mine" I gaped at him, he did not just say that.

Dimitri did growl this time and I half rose form my seat.

"What! She thinks what?" I demanded and he flinched.

"She thought about it first, it wasn't my idea." He said defensively and I gritted my teeth. How could he even say that, he lied by saying that my baby was his. No way in this life time would I ever even kiss him for real.

"why would she even think that Adrian?" Dimitri asked, he was almost on his feet.

"Because I was defending Rose every time she said something and she figured that it was mine because she knows perfectly fine that Rose's baby couldn't be yours," Dimitri shot him a look. "What were you expecting people to believe if we know that Damphirs can't have babies with Damphirs?" Well he had a point but still, he should have done that.

"So?" I said sounding annoyingly like a little girl. I kicked my self mentally for letting such a juvenile behavior slip.

"Well, she thinks that your baby is also mine and that I sent you to Russia with Dimitri when you told me about the baby because he was resigning and that you fell in love with him there. That's why I went so fast to Russia when I realized that you had been kidnapped." Dimitri winced at the memory of it. "She believed me and wants to keep my little affair a secret, so I don't see why it wouldn't work. For her you didn't lie at the trial though that's exactly what she thought at first."

"But if she ever sees the baby she'll realize that we lied to her, because you have dark hair and Dimitri and I have brown hair and eyes. Yours are green, she won't believe anything." I was so frustrated and some tears rolled down my face.

I didn't even notice the pain that started to form in my head or in my belly, I didn't notice anything till it was too late to even try to control. The pain was there, making me flinch and almost groan. Really, was it going to be this way? Great, now I was talking to my self. Not a good sign, but at this moment nobody could blame me.

Though I didn't let anybody see the pain I was in, afraid that they might do something drastic like take me to a hospital.

"She doesn't have to see the baby, we have to keep this up if you don't want to have any problems with her. I'm trying to help but you guys have to do as I tell you" He was being serious and if I didn't know he had been sober for the last couple of weeks I'd thought he was drunk.

"What did she say when you told her that it was yours?" I asked, trying not to sound as distressed as I felt because I didn't want to give anything away.

I stroke my belly to try to calm the baby because the baby was kicking and I felt a stinging pain, suddenly my belly felt really tight. But I ignored it as a result of all the stress I was in.

"Well, let's just say that for respect I won't say them. I don't think any of you would appreciate them" He was being polite and sensitive, something that I didn't think Adrian could be.

Just then someone knocked on the door, Dimitri stood up and opened it, for a moment we stayed silent as Viktoria. She had a weird look on her face, kind of guilty and nervous. Maybe she thought that this had to do with her relationship with Adrian and that she might let something out, this was definitely not the moment for that kind of mistakes because Dimitri was in a really bad mood.

"It has nothing to do with that" I said a little too loud and obvious, Adrian and Dimitri turned to me, Dimitri looked confused and Adrian was looking at me like I just confessed the fact that he killed someone.

"With what Roza?" Viktoria seemed relieved so I came up with something to tell Dimitri.

"Nothing, just something between Viktoria and me" He didn't seem convinced but we had to talk about other things so he let it go.

Adrian told everything again, because Viktoria didn't know and she evidently didn't like it more than it pleased Dimitri. They were so much alike that I was rather worried my baby would be like that. So serious and all.

"You really think that she won't realize the lie?" Her tone was harsh and Adrian flinched a little.

"I hope not, but it was the only thing I could do to keep Dimitri and Rose out of trouble. Besides what's wrong with it, I pretend to be the Father of her baby, Dimitri the guy who loves the girl so much that he's willing to accept the child of another man, for a generous pay," Dimitri made a sound that sounded very much like growl. "and Rose the victim in all these. It's perfect" Viktoria shook her head disapprovingly and turned to me, her expression softened, for a seventeen year old girl she was kind of scary sometimes.

"Rose are you ok with this, don't you think is too risky?" I sighed, and tried to keep my voice steady from the pain of the kicks the baby was giving me.

"We have no other option, it doesn't matter much if it's the only way to keep me and Dimitri out of trouble, not to mention our baby. Do you guys have any idea what the Queen would say if she knew that it was possible to reproduce between Damphirs when one of them is shadow kissed? I don't even want to think about it." My voice sound restrained but I was hoping they'd take it as mere frustration.

"We can't risk anything, though I think that we should be extremely careful about this. Only tell Lissa and Christian, nobody else." Dimitri's commanding tone made us all nod, it had been a while since he'd used it. Last time was when we were still at the Academy.

"I agree, but sooner or later she'll want to talk to both of you. That's why I came here so you wouldn't be caught off guard." He seemed so sincere and I knew his intentions had been to do well but I couldn't help the bitterness I felt. It was obvious that the Queen wouldn't doubt that I slept with her nephew because she thought I was a complete whore.

"Thank you Adrian, I'm sorry if I'm being too hard on you" I closed my eyes and buried my face in my hands, I was feeling like crap and this problem was putting me in such a bad mood.

"Its ok Rose, I know it must be very hard for you two" He exhaled as if he'd been holding his breath for long and stood up. I looked up and tried to look smug or something other than in pain.

"Adrian, take care" I said, stealing a sideways glance at Viktoria.

"You too Rose" he said and left but Viktoria stayed a while to talk to Dimitri, in Russian, so I went back to the room and took a nap that I deserved, not really caring if it was about something important or not.

"Roza, wake up" I heard someone say, Dimitri's voice was so close to my ear and it felt good. I sighed and rolled to my other side to face him. I opened my eyes and smiled at him, but he wasn't smiling, he looked worried.

"What happened?" I asked as I sat up and got out of bed with his help. My belly was on the way and I was seriously pissed that I couldn't do anything without his help.

"The queen requested our presence, she wants to talk to both of us only" The blood ran cold through my veins and I felt as if someone just punched me in the gut. We were so dead, doomed, caboo! Gone.

I looked at him with horror and he pulled me closer to him, his lips touched my forehead slightly. I didn't want anything happening to any of us, I was here for Lissa's wedding not to get punished for loving Dimitri. I hugged him tight not knowing if this would be the last time. I wasn't going to let the queen get him away from me, from our daughter. We were supposed to be finally happy, not having to worry about anything, and yet here I was trying to think of some excuse in case the Queen realized that her own nephew lied to her.

"Everything will be alright Roza, you'll see" He reassured me but I wasn't so sure at all. This time it wasn't in his hands to decide that and I was afraid, so afraid.

"No it won't, what if she already found out about us and now wants to do something about it?" I asked, not wanting to believe that she believed Adrian's lies. She was smarter than that, or at least she looked like it.

"Roza, please. Don't think like that, let's just go and find out what she wants. I'm sure that she only wants to verify Adrian's part of the story." Well, that could be true… but I still didn't believe it, couldn't believe it.

"Ok" Was all I said and walked out of our small room towards the Queen's office. The whole time I wondered what she could do about it, I wasn't well informed in laws, I only knew that the best she could hit us with was with the fact that we lied at the trial because my relationship with Dimitri now was insignificant. We were getting married and it was an old story already. She couldn't do anything about it, it was only the lie at the trial, right?

There was nothing more, I didn't really got involved with Adrian, Lissa has nothing to do with this so it was just me and Dimitri she could ruin. She had nothing on Adrian, as far as I knew, or Viktoria. My Father could help me, I was sure of it, that if I asked for a lawyer or anything to help me.

So I was supposed to be calmer, yet I couldn't. My pulse was probably way higher than normal and the baby was trying to move but there was not much space for her anymore because I was completely big, as big as I could get at seven months. So she was kicking and making me uncomfortable all the way to the queen's office.

Dimitri's arm around my waits was holding most of my weight because it was just too much for me and I was still tired, my dress made me look bigger and far ahead of my pregnancy, like nine or eight months, and it was kind of short. I liked them like that because Dimitri said I looked prettier and cuter than ever like that so I wore them.

When we were in front of the door and it opened I nearly had a heart attack, my breath caught in my throat and I felt sick. It was nearly impossible to keep walking when I knew I was going into the wolf's mouth or cave however it was. One of my arms was linked to one of Dimitri's so I felt him square his shoulder and tense.

**What will the Queen say? Do you guys think she figured out the lie or not? I think that the part when Adrian caught Dimitri and Rose together was rather funny. In those moments the story needed something to ease the tension a little bit so I think is ok. But please tell me what you think and try to guess what will happen, if you do then I'll write a story on whatever you ask me and send it to you through e-mail or private message. **

**Options:**

**Alternative version of Blood promise and therefore change SP. (Just a short entrée on what the story that I'll publish soon is about)****Alternative world in which Dimitri and Rose are whatever you want them to be. They could be humans, Moroi, Strigoi… whatever. (I will actually also write something about that.)****A small preview of the third part of this story in which you'll see how right you are and you will love it. (Story will take some time to write but it will be done soon)**

**So these are your options and I really hope you like them. Whatever you want to tell me just review. Tell me if there is something wrong with my story and I also just remembered that some of you asked me how it was possible for a Damphir to get pregnant with another Damphir's child, I'll answer that question in the third part of the story. Maybe at the end of this part, I'm not sure yet.**

**None of this belongs to me but to the amazing Richelle Mead.**

**Please review.**


	22. Chapter 22

**When we were in front of the door and it opened I nearly had a heart attack, my breath caught in my throat and I felt sick. It was nearly impossible to keep walking when I knew I was going into the wolf's mouth or cave however it was. One of my arms was linked to one of Dimitri's so I felt him square his shoulder and tense. **

"Dimitri Belikov and Rosemarie Hathaway your majesty" One of the Guardians announced and I looked straight ahead with my head held high so she'd realize that I wasn't afraid of her even though inside I was such a mess. Dimitri put on his guardian mask and I tried to mimic it, I wasn't sure if she was buying it because she wasn't exactly looking at me in the eyes but at my belly.

I really hated it when people did that because it was so rude, but this time I knew she wasn't only staring at me because I looked too young to be pregnant but because she was so mad at the baby who she thought was a bastard, idiot queen.

Without a word she gestured us to take a seat, we did and she asked Priscilla to leave us so she could talk to us in private, she obviously didn't want anybody to know about the baby. Priscilla's jaw was practically on the floor, I was sure she remembered my last visit just a couple of months when I still looked skinny and not so sucked up like now with a mountain of a belly sticking out.

I never let go of Dimitri's hand as we sat on the love seat that was right in front of the Queen's desk where she could easily glare at us and make us flinch.

"Rosemarie I'm very disappointed in you" she said, her hands folded in front of her on the desk, her piercing eyes were locked with mine and I barely contained my self from snorting when she said that she was disappointed in me. She'd never believed I'd be a good guardian for Lissa and had probably been planning to assign me to someone else instead of my friend. She turned her damn glare to Dimitri who tensed up even more. He looked like he was ready to bolt through that door at any moment, well so was I. "and you too guardian Belikov, I thought of you as one of my best guardians but now that you resigned… and for this" she gestured at me with disgust in her voice.

I knew that Dimitri was fighting for control; I could see it in his eyes and feel it in his body.

"I'm not an object, my name is Rose" I said with as much pride as I could master, Dimitri squeezed my hand gently, warning me that I was swimming in dangerous waters.

"Ah, Rosemarie, always talking back, such an insolent child you are don't you think Dimitri?" She tilted her head to one side and I had the urge to kick her, hard.

Dimitri slowly shook his head, "No" was his only answer and the Queen pursed her lips.

"Well, you might not think that now, after all you're doing us a favor by accepting this… Rose and her bastard" I had to clench my hands into fists to keep my self from punching her or something, how dare she to call my baby like that.

Dimitri took a deep calming breath and forced a small curtsey smile; inside I knew his blood was boiling with rage.

"Don't call her that" I said through gritted teeth, the queen raised an eyebrow looking kind of amused.

"So it's a girl" she said, her smile meant something I just didn't know what yet and I had the feeling that I wouldn't like it, "Very well, thank you for taking care of her and the bastard but I'll take it from here," Her words felt like cold water being splashed on my face or a stake straight through my heart. "I talked to Adrian who, very kindly, explained me everything that happened between him and Rosemarie back at the Academy. So I've decided that this bastard shouldn't stay a secret after all and that he'll have to take care of it." I knew that she'd meant for it to stay a secret but someone must have overheard and now she had no other option but to make it public.

"What?" I shrieked, "No, that's not possible your majesty. Adrian and I are no longer together, we never were, what happened was just one night, nothing between us" It hurt me more that I thought it would to say this because Dimitri was right next to me, who flinched a little when I mentioned Adrian.

The queen bitch raised an eyebrow, and with a smirk on her face she shook her head vehemently. I hated her with every fiber in my body and I couldn't believe that she'd been assigned as queen.

"I don't think that's wise you're Majesty, Rose and I will get married, everything will be forgotten and Adrian doesn't need or want to be with the baby or Rose. I, on the other hand, I'm willing to stay with her as long as needed." Dimitri was such a great actor, but behind his suave façade I knew he was trying not to say something inappropriate.

"Very noble of you Dimitri but, like I said, it was Adrian's mistake and I think he, just like Rosemarie, should pay for it. They were very much aware of the risks that a night could bring them for the rest of their lives." She sounded more like a Mother, but I knew better. She only wanted to punish me and Adrian for what she thought we did. "And as for you Dimitri, I know how well trained you are and I offer you your job back as head of the Guardians here at court. I don't want your talent wasted with this" She looked at me and I wanted to rip her head off but I managed to stay in my sit.

"As good as that offer sounds; I'm inclined to reject it. I resigned for one reason and that is the fact that I'm not willing to put my life at risk for anyone else." Dimitri said politely and gently, not meaning to offend anyone but the queen took it personally.

"I'm offering you something that many Guardians would be honored to have and yet you refuse, because of her" She pointed a finger at me and I flinched. "Dimitri you must reconsider." Dimitri looked at her in the eyes and shook his head.

"I'm afraid that I still decline your offer because I already have a life with Rose, we'll get married and raise the child, no problem" There was an edge to his voice that I recognized as something beyond anger, he was about to explode and the Queen was pushing it too far.

"Dimitri, I'm not going to let Rosemarie go, she must stay here at court where I'll know if the baby is fine and where Adrian will be able to stay with her at all times." She sounded so sure of herself that I felt sick of her, the baby was moving impatiently and I had to shift my weight.

"I'm not staying here, I'm going back to Montana to my Father's house with Dimitri" I said, not bothering to address her as majesty, she didn't deserve it after all. "There's nothing you can do, and if you excuse me I have to go back to my room because I feel sick" I stood up with Dimitri's help and we left, the queen stared at us shooting daggers.

I really felt sick, my whole body ached and the headache was still throbbing inside my brain.

"Roza are you alright?" Dimitri asked, his arm was around my waist supporting most of my weight.

"No, I feel like hell. Please let's just go back" He nodded and we kept walking towards my room. I tripped and Dimitri had to carry me the rest of the way back bridal-style, it was kind of awkward but I fell asleep sometime and I welcomed the darkness.

**DPOV**

I laid Roza on the bed and sat next to her, she was asleep and didn't even stirred, which worried me. Lately she had been feeling so tired and complaining that she couldn't wait for the baby to be born that I felt so bad. I also wanted the baby to be born so she'd feel better and be able to hold her in my arms. But babies weren't born the moment you wanted them to.

I sighed and brushed her hair out of her face, her sleeping form seemed so relaxed and innocent that I had to kiss her. I kissed her cheek so I wouldn't wake her up and she stirred a little, I smiled to my self for being able to get that reaction from her.

She was mine, just like the baby, we were going to form a family together.

Then I remembered the idiot of Adrian's lie and I got up from the bed and started to pace around the room. I knew his intentions had been the best, that he didn't mean to harm anyone but now the Queen wanted Adrian to raise _my_ daughter. I wasn't going to let that happen under any circumstances. I had to do something, but what?

Everything was getting complicated again, I thought that once out of the Academy and without my Guardian duties Roza and I would be happy but I was obviously wrong.

Now we had to worry about the queen trying to take our baby away from us because she thought it was Adrian's, or, we could tell her the truth and accept whatever she had for us. Which we weren't going to do.

I knew we shouldn't have lied at the trial, I didn't like it one bit but I was protecting Roza because she was already under the radar of the Headmistress and I didn't want her to get expelled even though it had been because of a lust spell that happened to only work when there were sparks of something between two individuals.

Victor would have been more than happy to testify against us, so I was convinced that it was for the best to lie but now we were facing the consequences. I walked back to the bed and stood there watching Roza sleep, I was going to do whatever it took to keep her and the baby safe but I just didn't know how.

**The next day**

**RPOV**

Lissa got here early, very early I must say, and practically kicked Dimitri out as if he was an intruder. Dimitri went to Lissa's apartment with Christian and Adrian who were also getting ready but they were going to be ready way earlier than we so they were planning on going for a drink somewhere before having to go to church. And Dimitri, as Christian's best man had to give the rings and he looked kind of excited. But Christian was a wreck in the morning when I sneaked out to give Dimitri a quick kiss and Christian happened to ask me if I had seen his left shoe. He asked me for god's sake!

Dimitri told him that it was under the bed and he ran away from us to look for his shoe.

After that I swore to God that I wouldn't go in there again while the guys were trying to get through the day.

"Rose come here, we have to get you into that dress!" Lissa sounded very stressed and now she was yelling at me.

Viktoria came from the bathroom wearing the same dress I was supposed to wear but looking stunningly beautiful and I almost felt like crying. The brown dress clung to her body and made her look older, fuller on the upper department and so beautiful. Her hair was up into a ponytail and her bangs obscure part of her face making her look kind of mysterious.

"You look…" I began but Lissa finished my sentence.

"Beautiful!" Viktoria blushed.

"I don't know, I kind of look like a little girl dressed with her Mom's clothes" she said looking down and then up to us.

"No, Viktoria, Adrian is going to be drooling all over you" I said and she beamed, Lissa rolled her eyes.

"I think that you girls should be careful with what you talk about, Dimitri could come in at any minute and hear you talk about it" Lissa was right so we both nodded. "Now Viktoria bring me Rose's dress and let's help her get into it"

It was embarrassing having your friends helping you get dress when you're pregnant, the baby was so big that I couldn't believe my skin stretched that far but I was grateful for the fact that I didn't have any stretch marks. When I was finally In the dress Lissa didn't let me see my self in the mirror.

"I'm going to make you look even more beautiful than you already are and Dimitri will drop dead" I laughed because I really doubt that, she wasn't a miracle worker.

So I stayed perfectly still while she put on the make up on me and curled my hair. It took her about two hours to get me ready, then she ended up giving me a pedicure and manicure which were really unnecessary but she insisted. I put on my shoes, which were high heels and I was praying for the strength to walk wearing them.

"Ok, now close your eyes" I did and she guided me to the full length mirror.

"Oh my God Roza you will love this" Viktoria giggled and her accent thickened. I made a note to my self that she was just like Dimitri. Whenever mad or really excited their accents thickened.

"Open them" Lissa said and I did.

I gaped at my reflection because I couldn't believe that was me, I mean, I looked beautiful. Like a pregnant Goddess but really beautiful. My eyes sparkled, my lips looked fuller and had a perfect shape. My hair was hanging loosely at my sides and it was wavy, it even shone, and my skin had a very good glow in contrast with the brow dress. It made me look totally hot being pregnant, my belly was sticking out but it made me look… good.

"Oh. My. God." I managed to say and Viktoria and Lissa grinned broadly.

"I knew you'd be speechless! You look gorgeous!" Lissa almost danced but what would have made it funny was the fact that she was only wearing her panties.

"Dimka will drop dead" Viktoria chimed in giggling like crazy and I rolled my eyes at her.

"No he won't because he has seen me much prettier when I wasn't looking like a big mountain wearing a dress" I said joking and Viktoria shook her head.

"You look beautiful Roza, even pregnant" Well if she put it that way, not.

I smiled.

Between Viktoria and me we helped Lissa get into her big ball gown and adjusted the corset. The dress was so big and puffy that it took us about half an hour to get her in it and fifteen to adjust the corset not to mention that it was mess when we tried to get her shoes on. But we managed and when we were ready we still had about an hour before we had to be on our way to the church but we didn't want to wrinkle our dresses so we decided that maybe just talking would be good.

"Viktoria have you guys decided when to tell Dimitri about your relationship?" I asked her and she shook her head.

"No, and I don't know how bad things will get. I know that Dimka doesn't have anything against Adrian anymore but I'm just worried" She shrugged and sighed heavily.

"Vik, Dimitri is going to be really pissed but that would be because he loves his little sister and doesn't want to see you hurt. We all know Adrian's reputation and he wasn't exactly a white dove before he met you" Lissa explained, sympathy written in her face and her words were gently.

"Till he met you, he changed when he met you because he was a total flirt with me but with you…" I trailed off.

"He wasn't like that" Viktoria finished. "He gave me space when I was moping around trying to convince my self that you were ok," she took my hand in hers and squeezed gently. "We even thought that we didn't like each other till we…" She got this weird look in her face, one that told me she wasn't here with us anymore but somewhere else, remembering something important.

That look looked so familiar… where… when? Then it clicked and I gasped, Lissa looked at me like I was crazy and Viktoria woke up from her day dream.

"You… you slept with him!" I shrieked not bothering to even ask because I already knew, many times I thought about the night at the cabin and she looked just like me.

Viktoria blushed but held her head high.

"Yes, but I don't think you or Dimitri need to know that." Oh my God I was right! Damn it Dimitri was going to be so pissed off.

"We won't say anything" Lissa said and I nodded.

"Dimitri will have to deal with the fact that you love him" I said and Viktoria nodded, relaxing.

**I know that maybe I was a little too harsh writing the part with the Queen so if you don't like it I'm really sorry but its too late to make any changed because I'm way ahead. So please sorry. But I do have to admit one thing, I loved the dress that I saw on TV, from the TV show Grey's Anatomy when Christina was getting married to Burke, and I thought that brown was awesome. Becky suggested green at first but I'd already worn green for my sixth grade graduation in Mexico and I looked like a damn parrot, so I hate green.**

**Don't let my dark and twisty self put you down, brown is good. But tell me, what do you think about the story so far? I hope you like it even if Rose and Dimitri are having a hard time. I'll make it up to you soon because the baby will be born soon. I saw that one person already guessed when, I don't remember who, and I wont say when but just keep in mind that someone already guessed when.**

**Talking about guessing, the contest that I told you about in the last chapter is on. Guess what will happen and I'll write you one of the stories that I put as options. I also wanted to clarify why when some of you asked me to write my own SP story, I couldn't because first: I hadn't read the book yet, second: I thought that it would be too much for me. And now that I've read the book already I think that SP would be hard form me t write, even if I start where BP ends, because the books itself was like torture for me. I mean, it was very good, held me captive, but I don't like Rose suffering so much, or with Adrian, so that's why I cant write my own version of SP.**

**You see, I've read other fanfics where Dimitri also came back from the undead and he was his old self in no time, those I really liked, but let's face it, we all know that that's not how things work. So that's why I cant write my own version of SP or Last Sacrifice because as far as I know the last three books of the series are supposed to be painful and at the same time thrilling to read. Sorry.**

**But please Review and tell me what you think. **

**Love y'all**


	23. Chapter 23

**DPOV**

"I'll go check on Roza" I announced because the room felt too tense with Christian looking like a madmen and Adrian and me trying to calm him down.

"Oh no, you're not going anywhere and leave me with Christian alone. Guy could decide to commit suicide and I'm not going to…" I interrupted him.

"Adrian, Christian's only stressed he's not going to commit suicide." I said rolling my eyes. Adrian could be a little overdramatic sometimes.

"What if she doesn't go to the church and decides to leave me?" Typical idiotic thought, too cliché.

"Man Christian you sound so… girlish." Adrian said with disgust.

I had to admit that Adrian's black humor was rather funny, whenever he wasn't saying anything like that to Roza, and I laughed.

"Christian, she loves you, she won't leave you" I said and sat back down on the couch.

"I know what to do to cheer you up" Adrian said happily and for a second he sounded kind of girlish but I didn't say anything, it felt more appropriate to keep the joke to my self. So I just chuckled.

"What?" Christian asked cautiously but I didn't understand why. I thought they were friends why did Christian act like that with one of Adrian's ideas? Guess I was about to find out.

Adrian smiled and went to the small mini bar. From under the table he got a bottle of Vodka and some glasses. I frowned and shook my head.

"You really shouldn't give him that right now, its less than two hours till we have to go and I don't think that Lissa would appreciate getting him drunk" I said but Adrian waved a hand at me dismissively.

"Just a couple of sips to loosen up the boy is perfect" But as he said the words he filled one of those small glasses with Vodka and offered it to Christian who took it and drank it down like it was water but then started coughing. Adrian and I burst out laughing.

"What… what the hell… is… this?" Christian asked and I patted his back while he coughed like a girl.

"Its Vodka" Adrian said still laughing but I checked the bottle and laughed harder, no wonder the boy almost choked.

"I've drank Vodka before, this isn't vodka, it felt like fire or something" He said with his hand on his throat, still coughing. Of course it felt like that.

"That's because its Russian Vodka, I bet you would choke just like Christian" I told Adrian and he sobered up while Christian's eyes widened so round that I thought his eyes might pop out of his sockets.

"Are you daring me Belikov?" Adrian asked looking all serious and somehow I had the urge to simply say no because it wasn't every day that I saw Adrian looking as old and mature as he did now. He almost looked like me.

"Well, I was just…" Christian interrupted me.

"Don't start anything with him Dimitri, if you say that he can't drink that then you're up for trouble. He even beat Rose drinking and believe me when I say that he's the best" That was interesting.

Adrian drinking something I grew up with, something like the delicious and intoxicating Russian Vodka that I hadn't drunk in a long time because I had guardian duties but that I could easily drink now because no one depended on me. Very tempting I might add, not to mention the fact that I'd see Adrian choking, bragging.

"You wouldn't be able to even gulp down half a bottle" I said, but then questioned my self as to where this sudden urge to be reckless came from. I wasn't like that, it was me who always thought before acting and doing something as stupid as this was like being my old unrestrained self. I knew how stupid this was, what the consequences were and yet I wanted to do it. I wanted to drink because it was something I hadn't done in a long time.

I wasn't old, I was barely twenty four, almost twenty five, I could be reckless, for one night I could be like Adrian and act idiotic doing as I pleased.

"You want to bet?" Adrian asked, determination on his face.

"Belikov I'm warning you" Christian said once more but I ignored him.

"Bring the other bottle" I said and Adrian's grin was so wicked that I was sure matched my own. I could get money from him so easily, this was going to be like snatching a lollipop from a baby.

Adrian went back and got another bottle, the same one as this and he poured down the drain the same amount he put in Christian's cup, to be fair I supposed.

"A thousand" Adrian said and I thought, where could I get a thousand from if I lost? I wasn't going to lose.

"Deal" We shook hands and then he gave me one bottle.

"Oh boy" Christian said disapprovingly.

"Count to three" Adrian asked Christian who shook his head.

"Did I mention how childish this is?" Adrian and I shot a glare at Christian. "Fine, one… two… three"

I drank as fast as I could, feeling the burning sensation of the Vodka going down my throat and enjoying every minute of it, all the time thinking how much I'd missed those days when I acted like a stupid teenager and not worrying about anything.

I looked at Adrian whose eyes sparkled with something between amusement and anger? Maybe disappointment?

I enjoyed the taste of the Vodka even though it was burning my throat, it felt like the fire from hell was inside of me but I managed to work right through it.

I finished the bottle first, by mere two seconds and grinned at Adrian who gasped for air as soon as the bottle left his lips. Who would have thought that the person who was always drunk wasn't used to this?

Even though it had been only a couple of seconds I could already feel the buzz of drinking, my legs felt a little… weak you could say? I wouldn't know how to describe it but I felt relaxed. The buzz intensified as I took a deep breath.

"You won, good job Damphir. Never thought you'd beat me." Adrian laughed and went to the bar for a margarita. Didn't he already have enough? I took a step toward him but everything started to spin around and I almost fell, almost. Christian steadied me even though he was a good four maybe five inches shorter than me and I sat on the couch.

"Damphir, what an unexpected surprise. Already drunk?" He smacked his lips together disapprovingly and laughed.

"Dimitri your so dead if you don't make it to the party, you're my best man dude" Christian said and chuckled. "Lissa won't be happy about this because the reason we chose you was because we knew we could count on you to not get drunk like Adrian would do. Guess we were wrong." This time he laughed and I did too, I wanted to laugh. It was so funny.

"It's been a while since I drank this much, maybe I'm just not used to it" I laughed again as the room seemed to spin around again but this time it wasn't that bad. I was getting a grip on my self.

"I'm sure we'll be fine by the time we have to go, we only drank one bottle after all" Adrian said, drinking his margarita and sitting back on the couch. Christian shook his head disapprovingly and sat too.

"Dimitri you better stop this, Rose will be pissed, not to mention Lissa because today is our wedding." Christian said and I sobered up a bit because I didn't want to upset my Roza, or Lissa for that matter.

"I know, and I'm sorry but it's been a while since I last had a drink of Russian Vodka." I apologized, not really understanding why I was apologizing to a Christian who was certainly not my Mother. Well, I think it was the effect of the alcohol.

"I'll have another drink, want a margarita Christian?" Adrian chimed in, holding up his glass of Margarita at Christian, who shook his head disapprovingly.

"Adrian if I were you I'd shut up, you don't want to spill something" He looked at me out of the corner of his eye, "that might get you a ticket directly to the other world." I frowned.

What was he talking about? Maybe I was a little drunk after all and was being paranoid. Christian was just as harmless as Lissa, nothing to worry about. I looked at the clock and realized that we had about an hour to be at the church. With the traffic it would be better if we leave now.

"We should go now, we don't want to get stuck in traffic" I got up and Christian followed me but then when Adrian was getting up he tripped and almost fell and because Christian was closest to him he helped him. I sighed and rubbed my temples, desperate to get out of her so we could get over with the wedding. Its not that I was being a killjoy or anything but I was just worried about Roza, what if the party wore her out?

I knew I was worrying too much, there was no danger, the worse that could happen was that she'd be so exhausted that she'd need another sip of… blood. I could deal with that, but not if something bad happened to the baby or her. Discreetly, I've read a book about human pregnancies and I found out that sometimes the baby would be born prematurely if something upsets the mother greatly, or some sort of accident. Maybe even have an abortion at such late state of pregnancy.

I didn't want to risk anything and I knew that seeing Adrian like this would upset Lissa, which would upset Roza and that wasn't something I was looking forward to. So I helped Adrian get up and he laughed, I rolled my eyes.

"C'mon Dimitri, let's just take another sip" He said smiling and offering me the rest of the Margarita. I eyed it carefully before drinking it all down. Adrian grinned and walked to the door, putting his jacket over his shoulder. Christian and I followed him not sure If he'd be able to make it pass the door but he did and walking very steady, as if he hadn't been drinking a couple of minutes ago.

I wasn't drunk, but I didn't feel completely sober either. I could feel a buzz so I knew that I wasn't the one to judge Adrian because I was the one that accepted the margarita and bet. But I had a thousand dollars, which I was going to make him pay me later when he wasn't drunk.

We got into the limo that Christian rented and headed to the church, which was at the other side of court, with Adrian grinning like an idiot the whole time. I gave Christian a questioning look but he only shook his head, but I knew better. Christian did know something and he wasn't telling me. I was going to find out no matter what.

**RPOV**

As the music started I could feel Lissa's emotions, they were so overwhelming. She was happy, excited, and nervous. I didn't know what else but I didn't like sharing the feeling of her emotions and I was trying very hard not to snap at her to get a hold of herself because I'd probably be like that if it was my wedding. Viktoria and I were in front of her waiting for the person who was supposed to open the door so we could start walking down the aisle.

When the doors opened I heard Lissa take a deep breath, we started walking and I felt a kick, a hard one, but I managed to ignore it and kept on walking.

Lissa's emotions were distracting me so much. I started to feel like crap and when we finally reached the end of the aisle and Christian took Lissa's hand I let out a relieving breath because she calmed down a bit. Beside Christian, Dimitri smiled at me and I melted. Through his eyes I could see that he was also picturing himself in the place of Christian with me as his bride.

Even though our wedding wouldn't be so big and all I still couldn't wait for it, to be Dimitri's wife.

The ceremony began like all weddings did, Viktoria sighed knowing that we were up to a hell of waiting for the priest to say all he had to say and declare them husband and wife.

"This will take a while" she whispered in my ear sounding just as desperate as I was to get this over with.

"I know" I answered.

I looked over at Dimitri who was watching solemnly and then at Adrian who seemed too hyper but at the same time… wait. He was drunk! When did he get drunk? He was with Dimitri for god's sake why didn't he do something about it? I nudged Viktoria with my elbow, motioning her to look at Adrian and when she did she almost gasped.

"Is he…?" she asked not really believing it.

"Yes" I answered through gritted teeth.

How could this happen? Today was Lissa's wedding, we were supposed to be celebrating not getting drunk before the reception! Oh, I was going to have a talk with Adrian after the ceremony and find out why the hell he was drunk.

But then I realized that being drunk would affect him more than I thought. When he was drunk he didn't care what he did, he only talked which could mean that his damn secret with Viktoria could slip out. Shit, this was no good.

"Don't leave his side at the reception and don't let him talk to Dimitri, because if he does he could let out something" I said to her and she nodded, her gaze locked with Adrian. She glared at him and Adrian looked confused, as if he didn't know what was wrong.

After that I only focused on the wedding.

"If someone disagrees with this marriage speak up now or be silent forever." The room was quiet the whole time, it was that kind of silence that could be disturbed even by breathing. "If that is then I'm proud to announce to all of you Mr. and Mrs. Christian Ozera!"

The whole room exploded in applause, including me even though I didn't feel my best but I managed. I was so happy for her and all of us cheered when Christian kissed her passionately. It was rather funny, even Lissa giggled and Christian kind of blushed. I was so going to tease him about it later.

But anyway, when Lissa walked over to where we were I hugged her tight. She seemed so happy that I couldn't help my self for feeling a little envy.

"Congratulations Mrs. Ozera!" Viktoria and I said in unison. Lissa seemed ready to burst of happiness like a bubble.

"Thank you. Rose you and Dimitri should get going with Adrian and Viktoria. I'll see you guys at the reception." She was practically glowing with happiness so I nodded and gave her a final hug.

"I'll see you there" I mumbled before letting her go to say bye to the others.

She walked with Tasha and I walked the other way towards Dimitri with Viktoria by my side.

"Remember to stay with him and don't let him talk to Dimitri" I reminded her and she nodded.

"Yes,"

As soon as Dimitri saw me he pulled me to his side, kissing the top of my head. I kissed his lips and instead of the rich taste of his lips I tasted vodka, exactly vodka. I couldn't believe it, he was drinking too.

"Did you… drink?" I asked and he looked surprised but nodded

"Yes, Adrian and I…. well I'll explain you later." He sounded so regretful that I didn't give it much thought because even if he drank Vodka he wasn't drunk like Adrian. Besides I hadn't seen him drink, which was weird because I was used to Adrian drinking all the time that I thought all men liked to get drunk but not my Dimitri.

"Let's go guys, we're going to be late for the party!" Adrian chimed in and Dimitri had to go and talk to him in whispers that he should shut up.

After that we walked to the car, Adrian calmed down a bit and fortunately Viktoria was able to convince Dimitri that she would take care of the little idiot. Dimitri didn't complain because he wanted to be with me at all times, he was still kind of afraid that something might happen to me after the fact that the last couple of days I've been feeling bad.

We got into the car and I sat beside Viktoria who had Adrian on the other side, we were trying to keep him as far away from Dimitri as we could. Things could certainly get ugly if Dimitri knew the truth.

"I think that if she was able to pull together the baby shower in less than a day then I believe her wedding reception will be the best" Viktoria began trying to change the subject.

"It will be a nightmare" I said with a laugh and Dimitri chuckled.

"My cousin likes to go over the top, its going to be great" Adrian sounded more sober this time so I took that as a good thing. Maybe I was wrong and he wasn't really drunk, only really happy.

Just when I was starting to relax I felt a kick, it was so strong that I recoiled and cradled my belly. It felt as if the kick went all the way through me and hit my spinal cord. The pain lasted a couple of seconds but I hadn't been on guard and everyone hear my cry of pain, including Dimitri who turned to me looking ready to punch someone, why? I didn't know.

"Roza, what is it?" I was panting, the pain left a stinging sensation inside me.

**I think that Dimitri deserved a shot, (get it?) at being reckless for a while and wouldn't you guys like to have him drunk with you? Ha ha ha! I didn't really know if Dimitri got drunk sometime while being at the Academy, the books never mentioned such a thing, which is why I thought that he deserved a break from his uptight life. So tell me what you thought? Was it too much?**

**Well, I guess that the part with the Queen was a little confusing but I hope you got it because depending on whether you understood or not you'll be able to know later on whom those guardians really are and not to mention the little boy. So if you have questions ask them.**

**Do you think that there's something wrong with Rose or was it just the fact that she's just hungry?**

**Hmm, I don't know.**

**Review please and I just noticed that not many reviewed Chapter 19 and 20 because I put 18, 19 and 20 the same day so you better review that chapter. **

**sorry if I haven't updated in a long time but I'm busy with school now and before it was the fact that I didnt have access to a computer. sorry.  
**

**Love y'all and depending on how many reviews I get is how often I update.**


	24. Chapter 24

"**Roza, what is it?" I was panting, the pain left a stinging sensation inside me.**

"I-I don't know, she kicked me and… it hurt" I said, his hand was now stroking my belly and it felt good but I couldn't shake the feeling of the kick that felt like it could have broken my spine. Damn, it hurt like hell and yet I couldn't understand why. I wasn't stressing about anything, I was perfectly happy and all, there was no reason for her to kick or anything. I took a deep breath.

"Roza are you sure you're alright? You look so pale and…" Viktoria began but was cut off by a very concerned Adrian.

"Fragile" Adrian Finished.

"I'm fine, she just kicked too hard ok?" I said, shoving Dimitri and Viktoria's hand off my belly. I knew that Dimitri would be hurt but I didn't need anybody worrying about me. I put both of my hands on my belly and rubbed it. It felt so tight, everything felt so tight and I was very uncomfortable.

"Roza you shouldn't go to the party if you don't feel well. I'm sure Lissa will understand" Dimitri said, his voice was gentle and full of sympathy but I felt like I owed it to Lissa. She was my friend and…

_They aren't first anymore, is just you, the baby and Dimitri the ones that matter. Remember that and don't be an idiot!_

That voice inside my head was right but I still felt like the least thing I could do was go and tell her about it to her face, that I couldn't stay because of my baby. I looked at Dimitri, he wasn't mad at me or anything, he was only concerned. Beside me Viktoria was begging me with her eyes not to go and Adrian… well he seemed pretty upset, which was weird. Why would he be upset? He was also focusing on me as if trying to see my aura.

"Rose you really shouldn't go to that party" His voice was so serious that even Dimitri turned to him.

"I'm fine" I said again but he ignored me and shook his head.

"There's something wrong with your aura and I don't like it" He tilted his head sideways.

"What do you mean?" Asked Viktoria.

"I mean that her aura is darker than usual, almost black and… well I don't know but its just so dark. I don't get it. I haven't seen your aura like that since…" Ok, he was creeping me out.

"Since when Adrian?" Dimitri asked, his voice was hard and tight, like was trying to restrain himself.

"Since that time she was seeing the ghosts and…" I was getting annoyed at this because he wasn't finishing his sentences.

But what did the ghosts have to do with all of these?

"They were trying to drag her along with them to the other side" Dimitri finished for him.

Then I remembered the talk we had with Mark and Oksana. Mark told us that the ghosts could kill me if I kept contacting them, that they didn't want me alive, they wanted me at the other side. But why would this happen now? I had been pregnant for months, why was my aura like this till now?

"Exactly, but I don't understand why" Adrian said, the look in his face was thoughtful yet calm.

"I don't understand any of this" Viktoria said exasperated, her Russian accent thickened and I knew she was upset.

Dimitri started to talk to her in Russian and as they were engrossed in their own conversation I could only think about the baby. What the hell did this mean? Was there something wrong with me, or the baby? Maybe the ghosts were trying to drag me along with them but because I couldn't see them they couldn't do anything.

Well this was very wrong.

"Sir, we're getting close to the reception." The man that was driving the limo said, he must have been listening to our conversation about not going to the party.

"Please turn around and drop us at the guest's wing" Adrian said.

"At least you should call someone who would give her the message that we're not going to the reception" I said, crossing my arms on my chest.

I was mad but not at anybody, just at my self for being so weak. I took down many Strigoi but I couldn't go through a pregnancy without making my self look like a total useless and weak average teenager. Damn, I was getting a headache.

"I'll call Abe and tell him to apologize to her for us" Dimitri said and I nodded.

I knew that as soon as he heard the news he'd probably come to make sure I was ok, but I didn't mind, I probably needed my mom too. Yeah right. Well if I was going to be feeling like hell for the rest of the night at least I deserved some company. Adrian didn't look at anybody as we made our way back to the apartment and I wondered why, what was so wrong that he was so quiet? Viktoria was also very quiet but I saw her take his hand and because I knew Dimitri wouldn't be able to see that gesture I didn't say anything.

I still felt like crap, my belly still felt tight and I felt so uncomfortable on my own skin that I couldn't help my self and I had to shift on my seat to make my self comfortable.

As soon as we arrived at the building Dimitri and Adrian opened their doors and got out. I moved slowly to the door and with Dimitri's help I managed to get out but when I did I felt the strangest thing, it kind of felt like when I first had my period, that feeling of something running down from between my legs and then wet.

I tried looking down but with my big belly I couldn't even see my feet. Dimitri placed his hand under my elbow and tugged gently at my arm to get going but I was glued to the ground because suddenly I felt like someone was squeezing me or something and I felt the urge to bend down, and I did.

Behind me I heard someone gasp, I think it was Viktoria, but I didn't care because I was in shock. Was this… did it meant that…? Oh my God.

"What, what is it Viktoria?" Adrian asked.

"Roza, did your water just break?" Dimitri asked and I looked up to him nodding, I just couldn't find my voice.

Then a wave of pain hit me so hard that I actually thought someone was trying to rip me in half because if I thought that the kick from before hurt, this one was a son of a bitch that literally left me gasping for air. I think I screamed and my legs buckled, I almost fell but Dimitri caught me and carried me bridal style.

"Son of a bitch!" I yelled.

"Damn it!"Adrian said.

Exactly what I was thinking.

"Roza, look at me, please look at me!" Dimitri said. I forced my self to open my eyes and look at him.

The pain was still there, it hurt like hell and I couldn't handle it. I started crying like a little girl and gripped his shirt like my life depended on it, which was how I felt at that moment.

"It hurts… Dimitri it hurts!"I screamed again as another wave of pain hit me and I wasn't able to do anything. It was like someone was hammering my spinal cord or something and the pain in my belly. Oh my god I felt like I was going to die.

"Roza, take it easy. We're on our way to the hospital." He said as he stroke my hair with his hand. "Adrian open the damn door of the car!" He barked and because I had my eyes closed I didn't see him open the door or anything. But I was sure Adrian did it as fast as he could because next thing I knew was that I was inside the car and on Dimitri's lap. It was also one of the few times I'd heard Dimitri curse, well, I think it was the only time I'd heard him curse.

"Roza everything will be all right, your having your baby!" Viktoria sounded so excited that I smiled a little as the pain withdrew and I was able to breathe again.

Suddenly I was so excited about it that my smile widened when I looked into Dimitri's warm and worried eyes. He was also excited and happy.

"We're having the baby!" I said excitedly and Dimitri chuckled a little, from the front seat Adrian snorted.

"Technically he can't have a baby…" He was trying to be funny.

"Shut up Adrian" Viktoria said and he shut up like an obedient puppy.

"Please don't start fighting now, this is not the time" Dimitri told them and they nodded. I took deep breaths trying very hard to forget the pain and only concentrate on Dimitri's heart beat.

"Everything will be all right Roza, I promise" He said but I wasn't so sure because I felt so dizzy, my head was spinning and I started to see black spots on my field of vision. I put my hand on Dimitri's cheek, trying to hold on to him but it was useless.

After a second I felt so weak that I closed my eyes and passed out.

**Hmm, the baby is coming. Funny how things always work out isn't? Is Rose ok? Why did she pass out? And what's the deal with the ghosts? So many questions and decisions, decisions. But don't worry, I have even more action to come because this story is not nearly done. Next chapter is going to be awesome! Please don't forget to review because then I get depressed and you all know what happens then, I stop writing. **

**I watched The twilight saga: Eclipse and I think I'll give it a so-so because it wasn't that good. I'm hoping that the first part of Breaking Down will be better with the wedding and all, not to mention that the honeymoon will give me lots of reasons to make fun of them!**

**Tell me what you think about the chapter.**

**Review this chapter and 23 because if you dont then I won't update until you do.  
**


	25. Chapter 25

**After a second I felt so weak that I closed my eyes and passed out.**

**DPOV**

She put her hand on my cheek and looked like she was trying very hard to focus on me but couldn't and slowly she closed her eyes. At first I thought it was another contraction but she went limp in my arms and I panicked, what was wrong?

"Roza, Roza open your eyes and look at me, don't fall asleep!" she didn't move.

"What's wrong?" Viktoria asked, worried filled her voice and it took me a moment to realize that she spoke Russian so Adrian didn't understand but turned around anyways.

"She fainted and this is definitely not good" I said shaking her gently.

Her breathing was uneven as if she couldn't breathe properly and that's when I smelled it. The coppery smell of blood was hanging in the air and I think that that was why Adrian turned around. His eyes were fixed on her but I could see the hunger in his eyes. When had it been the last time he fed?

I touched the part of her dress that looked wet and saw the blood on my hand.

"Drive faster damn it, she's bleeding!" I yelled at the driver.

I couldn't believe this was happening. She was fine just a couple of hours ago, what went wrong? I bet she had been stressing about something, but what? I knew that something was wrong with her since we came back from Russia. I knew she'd been keeping something from me and I didn't know what that was. I didn't want to go ahead and try to find out because I knew it would upset her, the fact that I was intruding in something she wasn't ready to share with me.

When she stopped breathing my heart nearly stopped. I couldn't believe it, she was fine a minute ago, and everything was fine. Why was this happening? I tried to keep my self calm, I couldn't panic and mess things up because this was the moment she needed me the most. I wasn't going to panic, I couldn't.

I shook her gently, placing my hand on her belly to let our baby know I was here and would do anything for her, she didn't respond nor did she took a breath and I just panicked. My heart started to beat faster than it already was and for a moment I couldn't breathe either because realization hit me and it almost drown me with sorrow. She was not breathing; nothing, nada, and that meant… the baby!

"She's not breathing! We need to get there, now!" I yelled at the driver who was speeding.

"Roza, wake up!" Viktoria said alarmed and took her hand but Roza didn't squeeze her hand back.

"Her blood smells so sweet…" Adrian murmured in a daze, his eyes focused on her neck and he leaned closer from the front seat. But a slap from Viktoria brought him back to reality. He touched his cheek with his hand as if not sure what just happened.

"We're here!" the driver said as he parked right in front of the ER and I was a little relived but at the same time worried. Adrian opened the door for me and a second later I climbed out of the car with Roza on my arms and ran inside.

"I need a doctor, now!" I was used to the fact that I yelled and everyone would come as fast as they could so they wouldn't have to face my wrath but the moment I yelled they just stood there looking at me like I was crazy. IT took them a moment to I put her there and they took her away.

"What happened?" Was she really asking me that?

"Her water broke, we got into the car and then she just passed out, she was bleeding and stopped breathing. Do something!" I practically yelled as I walked along her and the other doctors that were hovering around her. One was bumping oxygen to her lungs with a mask while the other doctor or whatever kept checking her pulse.

"We can't do much if she's gone into labor, we either save the baby or her, make a choice." Her words felt more like a damn slap on the face. She had to be kidding.

"What?"I asked stupidly. "I can't do that. I can't, just save both of them." We got to the zone where I couldn't go and she let Roza go with the other doctors.

"I'll do my best but I need to know who you want me to save." Her piercing glare felt like nothing I've ever felt before. It was a feeling, like something was gnawing my inside, eating me slowly.

"Save… Roza" I said, but it hurt me, it was like cutting part of me. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't move, I couldn't do anything. Just stood there and watched the doctor walk away with an answer I might regret for the rest of my life.

"What happened, how is she?" Viktoria said from behind me, her hand on my shoulder and I turned around to see Adrian beside her.

"She might die and they gave me a choice, her or the baby. I said her." Viktoria seemed shocked, her face contorted for a moment with anger and then she slapped me, hard that it made my head snap side ways. Beside her Adrian was so shocked that he only backed away and sat down on one of the benches on the waiting room. But I didn't care about anything, I couldn't feel anything, my heart was an empty room that could only be filled with Roza's love, smile and laugh.

Also with my baby's life which was probably being ended right now because of me, because I couldn't bear the thought of losing her Mother. Now I was going to live with that the rest of my life, have to face my Roza with the guilt of having killed our baby for my selfish reasons of not wanting to lose Roza. How was I supposed to live with that, and if I had chosen the baby instead of Roza would I have had the courage to face my own child without her Mother?

I sat down too, Viktoria just stood there, looking at the doors where Roza went through and probably our baby probably wouldn't come out alive. Her form stood there, tense, not moving at all but only staring. Her shoulders shook slightly and it took me some time to realize what was happening, she was crying. I wanted to stand up and go to her, console her because I knew she needed me but I just couldn't. Because I also needed someone but the only person who could do that would probably hate me the moment she realized I killed our baby.

So when Adrian stood up and went to her, hugged her and turned her around to face him and she buried her face on his chest I felt relieved but something in my chest tightened and snapped. Something just snapped together, it clicked inside me and all the pieces of the puzzle just snapped together.

The trip to Russia, Adrian going, Adrian spending time with us and getting too close to Viktoria. Adrian suddenly deciding to go back to St. Vladimir and now consoling my sister as if she was his… lover. Roza knew, she knew all along and didn't tell me, that's exactly what caused all the stress in her. How could I not have seen this coming? It was so obvious, all the signs were there and I was blind.

I stood up, walked over to them but stopped the moment my eyes met with Viktoria's. She looked at me with… something in her eyes. It wasn't anger but something else. She looked apologetically at me and begged me with her eyes to understand. She wanted me to understand, but I couldn't, I didn't know what to do because I felt so confused.

I needed to distract my self with something, anything.

"I'm going to call Abe," I said and walked to the end of the hall to have some privacy.

I dialed the number and waited a few seconds, gathering my courage to say that Roza was in the hospital.

"Where the hell is my daughter Belikov?" I completely forgot about the fact that he already knew my phone number.

"She's-we're at the hospital. She went into labor but…" He hung up and I was sure he was on his way over here without listening to the rest of what I had to say.

"Dimitri!" I heard Viktoria yell and turned around. The doctor was standing beside her and I ran toward them expecting the worst.

"How's the baby?" I asked, kind of already knowing the answer but waiting to hear it but the devastating news never came, instead she smiled.

"Fine, we saved them both and they're fine, she's awake now and wants to see you." I let out a breath I didn't know I'd been holding and nodded with a big grin on my face. Everything was going to be alright, I kept repeating to my self as I walked with her to the nurse's room and put on scrubbed into the room where Roza was.

But something was off because from outside I could hear her screaming so I ran into the room and the moment she saw me she managed a small smile for a moment before screaming again and trashing because of the pain.

I sat down next to her and took her hand. I didn't know what else to do. She gripped my hand so tight, but I didn't mind at all because I was happy for us. She only had a moment to breathe between contractions and there was sweat on her face, her hair completely soaked on it. My heart broke every time I heard her scream and I was getting very nervous.

"Talk to her, try to keep her mind off the pain because its going to be hours till she's fully dilated." Ok, I kinda knew what she meant.

"Roza, Roza look at me." As another contraction passed she managed to look at me and I saw tears rolling down her cheeks.

"It hurts Dimitri, it hurts so much" She started crying again and I wanted to do something to take the pain away but couldn't, I wasn't a doctor or anything. I was merely an idiotic male who had no idea what she was going through.

Roza was panting and barely had time to breathe before she had another contraction. I wiped the sweat from her forehead with a damp cloth the doctor gave me.

"Hang in there sweetie, it'll be over soon and you'll be so happy to have your baby that you'll forget about this." The nurse said with a sweet voice but somehow Roza didn't get that as something nice because the glare she gave her made her flinch a little.

Roza was panting again, and then suddenly she stopped and then a soft moan gave away to a short startling scream, a bloodcurdling one that made me jump a little bit when, in surprise, she started to trash around again, moving her head from side to side.

"Dimitri… I can't do this… I can't do it anymore…it… hurts… so much!" It took her too long to say the words and then another wave of pain hit her, she screamed and her grip on my hand tightened. "Son of a bitch!" She screamed again and I almost smiled.

The screams kept on going and going till I couldn't stand them anymore and made me feel horrible. The cursing didn't stop either but I could live with that.

"Roza, you can do this, I know you can." I said, tucking her hair behind her ears. She screamed again, louder this time. She wasn't prepared for this, she was too young, we were too young and neither of us could handle this. Frantically I rang the bell for the nurse and heard my Roza cry in pain.

A moment later a nurse poke her head in and came inside with a bright smile on her smile when she saw Roza screaming.

"How's it going?" She asked and I just stared at her.

"How the hell does it look like its going?" I asked outraged and raising my voice a little but she dismissed it with a wave of her hand. Roza was in agony and she was just standing there, looking at the monitors and nodding approvingly.

"It looks ok to me," I was about to start yelling but she turned to face me and sighed. "Look, Mr.…"

"Belikov" I finished for her through gritted teeth.

"… Belikov, this is completely normal and is also the reason why little girls like her, how old is she, seventeen, eighteen?, shouldn't get pregnant at such an early age." I gaped at her because I had no idea what to say. She was right of course but…

"She'll be fine after the baby's born. Don't worry." She finished and then turned to Roza with a small smile. "You're almost there, Roza. This is the hard part. You're in transition now. After this it gets lots easier and pretty soon you can start to push" Neither Roza or I looked too happy for her.

"I can't… I…" She screamed again as another contraction hit her.

**Don't even ask how I knew how to write all the stuff about the birth because its rather funny. See, I've never been with nobody having a baby, thank God, but I watch the health channel and read a book that had a part where the girl had a baby so I kinda got some ideas from there and yes I am fourteen. What the hell is wrong with knowing what to write and all that? I might be young but not naïve about how much it hurts to have babies! Which is why I've decided to never, ever, have children. I mean, they are just little persons who cry and vomit on you all the time, not to mention the smell of the poop! Ugh *chills***

**For a moment I scared you there right, with Dimitri having to choose? I also thought the baby was going to die but then... well, I had a change of heart. I'm a sucker for happy endings so sue me!**

**But I hope that you really like the story, please review every chapter not just the last one because that's not enough for me.**


	26. Chapter 26

"**I can't… I…" She screamed again as another contraction hit her.**

The nurse held her other hand and tried to guide her through it. The pain Roza was going through was driving me crazy, it was just too much and could only imagine what it was like for her.

More screams, more panting and moans that were driving me crazy, how could she go through it?

"Did you call her family already?" The nurse asked me and I nodded. "You look like you need a cup of coffe, why don't you go to the cafeteria and get one." I shook my head.

"I'm not going to leave her" I said matter-of-factly.

"its going to be a while before its time, just go and relax" She insisted and I realized that Roza looked completely oblivious to my presence, she was focused on getting through this, having our baby, and probably wouldn't notice if I was gone. Besides, there wasn't much I could do here, maybe go and see if the other were here already or tell Viktoria that she was fine.

But I still didn't feel good for leaving Roza alone, much less now that she was suffering. So I decided to stick around, I couldn't and wouldn't leave her alone. But I decided that Viktoria needed to know how she was so I grabbed my cell phone and dialed Adrian's number because I wasn't sure Viktoria brought hers.

He picked up on the second ring.

"Dimitri, how is she? Can we go see her?" Adrian asked as he picked up.

"She's…" just then she screamed again, I thought that the nurse was supposed to help her breathe through it or something. I glared at the nurse but she just shrugged.

"Oh my god, she's fine right?" I could almost see him flinching just by listening her through the phone.

"She is but I need you to tell her Mother and Father to stay outside because this… well isn't what they want to see. So I'm telling you…"

"Dimitri? How's she… she's fine right?" Viktoria began, her voice frantic making me flinch.

"Yes, well… she's gone into labor and it'll be a couple of hours before the baby is born." I sighed and rubbed my temples. I felt so tired, like it had been days instead of hours since I'd slept and wanted to simply drift off but I just didn't want to leave Roza alone in this. We were in this together.

"Can we go in?" Her voice was hopeful but somehow I knew that Roza wouldn't want anybody to see her like this and it was already hard on me to see her suffer like this.

"I don't think that's wise, she'll be fine but please just stay there and when the baby is born I'll tell you. I promise."

"But…"

"I promise, just try to keep her parents there." I hung up, not waiting for an answer because I knew she'd argue about wanting to come in.

After what seemed to be hours, and after a few more screams, finally the doctor came in and said that she was ready to push, Roza not the doctor, and more nurses came in. I was right next to her and her hand gripped mine tighter.

"Ok, its time Rose, just breathe and give me a big push, a big one." The doctor's calm voice made me madder every time I heard her because how could she ask something like that?

Roza's eyes met mine, she was afraid, nervous but at the same time excited. I could see it all in her eyes and it made me just as afraid.

Roza pushed and when she opened her eyes again I saw that look of determination in her eyes, the one that I knew very well and said that she was going to get it, that she was going to do it and do it right. I almost smiled, almost because just then another contraction hit her and she was pushing again. She barely had time to breathe, she was pushing, and I… well. I just watched.

"You can do it Roza, I know you can" I knew she could but the glares that she shot me told me that I wasn't helping that much, this time I did smile. She was being her old self again, even in this kind of time she was her old self again and I couldn't help it. I kissed her brow real quick when she was screaming in pain.

She kept screaming. Screaming and screaming, not very nice words, and I knew there must be something wrong.

"I can't…" It had been about an hour since she started pushing and for the doctor's faces I was sure that she hadn't made any progress. "I can't… help me" Her pleading eyes were the only thing that could rip me and they did. I felt so helpless, so bad because I couldn't do much for her.

I must have showed how scared I was, how helpless I looked because a nurse came where I stood.

"If you'd support her shoulders while she pushes, it would help a lot." I was surprised

"Me?" I asked stupidly and she raised her eye brow as if asking if there was someone else here who she was talking to.

I looked down at Roza. The excitement had gone, replaced with fatigue and then another wave of pain roared through her. Everyone seemed to tense with anticipation as the doctor did something between her legs.

"Dimitri…" Without thinking I gently scooped Roza's shoulders into my arms and held her as the laboring girl that I loved shook with effort. She had worked through harder things before, the pain of the battle, the days she spent with me at the clinic, and finally the time while she was help prisoner by the Strigoi.

She was a tough girl, she was my Roza and she could take anything. But this was different, something new. Because she was used to receiving and throwing punches at people but not at this kind of pain. We had been training since I met her and I knew her ups and downs, her strengths and weaknesses as good as she knew mine, hell, she even knew me better than I did. But this… this was something that was tearing both of us.

"I can't…" she repeated, her voice restrained and tears rolled down her cheeks. "…I… it won't…" she screamed again.

"Harder Rose! C'mon, now!" The doctor sounded urgent and firm, never hesitating, the nurses seemed to be doing a lot of running and clattering, and Roza was starting to cry harder.

"I can't…! I can't!"

"Of course you can Roza. I'm here with you, we can do anything if we're together." I reminded her but she didn't seem to be able to hear me because she had another contraction.

"Push harder!" The doctor was merciless and I hated her for it when I watched Roza's face contort in pain and suddenly the nurses were buzzing around us again. "Come one, Rose. You can do it now. Just one more hard and good push. That's it… Come on…" There was no doubt that Roza was doing her best, I knew it, the doctor knew it and yet I didn't realize that the tension in the room had heightened.

I glanced at the doctor and I saw a different look in his eyes, and one of the nurses was checking a monitoring system they had looped to Roza somewhere. And then I heard it, softly, at the other end of the table. I prayed that Roza was too distracted to hear, I wished I was because what I heard made my head shot up and look at the doctors.

"Fetal heart slowing" someone said.

"Slowing?" The doctor asked alarmed.

"Irregular" they repeated and I looked at Roza again, I knew this was going to be all right, it had to.

Another pain ripped into Roza and her scream made me flinch again.

**Again, the answer is the book that I read about the girl with her baby and the health channel, you know, that show Deliver Me and god knows what else. You should totally watch it and maybe think about having babies twice. Damn, now I sound like a damn adult, ew.**

**But anyways, Kathryn's birth is coming up in the next chapter and please review. Remember that in this chapter I replaced the badass in Dimitri for the paternal one who had no idea what to do while being in the same room where Rose had her baby. I tried to imagine what a guy would be like if he was in a situation like that, tell me if I wrote it ok by reviewing.**

**and Rose is about seven months or something like that, someone asked. I know that it might sound that its a little premature but its not. After all, her pregnancy in the first place wasnt normal.**

**Please review.**


	27. Chapter 27

"Ok Rose this is it, I need one last big and hard push from you. Now!" But this time she only winced at the command and fought against my arms behind her. She let her head fell back and an endless sob burst from her.

"Oh Dimitri… Dimi… Ahhh… Dimitri!... please"

"Roza, please my love. For us, for the baby, is almost over, just one more." Tears had begun to pour down her face and her hand gripped mine again. I prayed that this torment would end already, she didn't need to go through something like this. It had to end. Roza couldn't take it anymore, she was so tired and her tears blinded her. "You can do it" I whispered in her ear and kissed her lips quickly.

And then… a riot of sounds, the clattering of instruments, a grunt from the doctor, a little cry from a nurse, sudden silence from Roza, and a long, crackling little wail.

"It's a girl!" The doctor yelled, joyous I kissed Roza's forehead as she lay back with fresh tears streaming from her eyes and smiling up at me.

"We did it Dimitri" she said, weakly but the sound of her voice made me smile at her so brightly that it was like listening to the doctor back at the academy telling me that Roza was pregnant and the baby was mine. But this time was like ten times better, now my, our, baby was born. Everything was great.

"We did it" I agreed, leaning my forehead to hers and looking into her eyes, admiring her more than I already did.

She was small and her round face was red when they gave her to me to hold. Her hair was dark so dark that it almost looked black but it had curls framing her beautiful face, she was one of the most beautiful things I had ever seen and she looked exactly like her Mother.

My daughter opened her eyes as she kept wailing on and I saw the brown in her eyes, they matched my own, only they were more beautiful, she looked perfect. Suddenly she stuck her thumb into her mouth and the crying stopped as Roza laughed and I chuckled.

"Give her to me, I want to hold her" Roza said and I gave her our baby. The look of love and adoration in her eyes was precious, I was sure it was just like mine.

"She's our baby Roza, she's finally with us" I said and kissed her, she smiled brightly at me.

"What's her name?"Asked the doctor.

"Kathryn Belikov" Roza and I said in unison, we were so proud to announce it. And then in the quiet period of activity, as the doctor looked on and smiled, Roza laughed a long happy laugh. She sounded like a girl again, and she picked up her head and looked at me, eyes sparkling with love and happiness. "We're parents" she whispered to me and I nodded, it sounded so good, normal.

**RPOV**

I was in my room, a white and plain room, but that was currently filled with my Mother, Father, Viktoria, Adrian and Dimitri. It had been a couple of hours since Kathryn had been born and I was supposed to be here, resting, before they'd bring her back to me. I was very tired, it felt like someone just ran me over with a car and I was still sore. I didn't have a headache though, and I was grateful because I was sure I wouldn't be able to handle it.

My eyes were closed, but I wasn't asleep, I was in that beautiful state of haziness where even though I could still hear what they were saying, I wasn't entirely awake. I loved this feeling, I felt comfortable and cozy. I could feel Dimitri, he was holding my hand and caressing my face, he could do it because I was on my side.

His hands were warm and it felt so good.

Suddenly I had the urge to see my baby because the last glimpse I had of her didn't seem enough. After she was born we only had a couple of minutes with her before they took her away to finish cleaning her up.

But I was also tired and groggy so I settled for simply listening to the conversations around me.

"… beautiful baby" I heard my Mom say, she sounded close and happy. Which was still weird on her.

"Looks a lot like Rose, doesn't she?" Dad said, I could hear the smile in his voice.

I was guessing he didn't want to admit the small fact that Kathryn also resembled Dimitri in lots of ways, like the brown eyes and wavy hair, though I had to admit that she had my face. I'd been expecting Dimitri's face not mine, but she looked beautiful all the same and I felt proud of me and Dimitri for creating such a beautiful baby.

"Yes," My Mother agreed.

"She looks a lot like Dimitri too, not just Roza, but thank you for the compliment to my dear Dimka" Viktoria replied, her accent was so obvious that I heard Dimitri chuckle beside me and Adrian laughed out loud.

"Your welcome Viktoria, and did I mention how much I appreciate you being here with my daughter? I kind of like you, not because of your _dear Dimka_ but because you remind me much of Rose." Well… was that a compliment?

"Everyone likes Viktoria, she's very beautiful" Adrian said suddenly, I could almost see the big grin on his face, but I was worrying too much about his face right now. He could survive a few punches but he'd be lucky if he got out of this one with his life.

The room went deadly silent and for some reason I knew this was my cue to wake up just so Adrian wouldn't die.

Slowly I stirred and stretched a bit. I was supposed to look like I was asleep, which wasn't that hard because I had been almost asleep. But when I opened my eyes, instead of seeing a very mad Russian god, I saw Dimitri with a big grin on his face and a twinkle of amusement in his eyes.

"Roza" He breathed my name and it was enough to make me crack a smile, even though I felt like crap and was pretty sure I looked like hell. I was surprised that Dimitri wasn't wrinkling his nose at me because without looking at my self in the mirror I already knew that my hair, in a messy ponytail, looked awful and that I'd been drained of color, not to mention the fact that I was probably still sweaty.

"Dimitri… where's the baby?" I asked and his smile broadened. He looked at the other side of the bed, I followed his gaze and saw a crib, around it my parents, Viktoria and Adrian were looking down and I could hear soft cooing sounds.

I tried to sit up and get a better look at it but Dimitri stopped me and shook his head.

"I'll get her for you" He said and got up.

My Father looked up and smiled at me, it was so bright and sincere that I responded with the same kind of smile. Janine Hathaway, the great guardian, melted like ice on sunlight around the baby and when she smiled at me I was a little freaked out.

Viktoria took Dimitri's seat beside my bead and hugged me, it was a hug that made me feel a lot better. It felt so good to have her with me, so good, it was like being with Dimitri, almost because she was more like a sister to me.

"She's beautiful and she looks a lot like you!" She practically squealed with happiness and I laughed.

"Of course, but let me tell you that she's beautiful because her Father is hot, just look at that" I said looking at Dimitri's butt as he bent down to pick up our daughter.

"Yes…" she said thoughtfully and I looked at her with a look of astonishment because she just agreed with me that her brother was hot.

"What?" I asked in horror. She seemed to snap out of it but that's when I realized she meant Adrian, she'd been looking at Adrian not Dimitri. Whew. "Oh"

Viktoria nodded and got up from the seat. Dimitri took her place, carrying a small form that moved too much and kept on making cooing noises. He gave her to me and I took her, my movements graceful and confident, nothing like I felt the moment I saw her. She stared up at me, her deep brown and warm eyes looking at me like they knew me even though that was not possible. She stopped moving the moment Dimitri handed her to me and took out her thumb from her mouth.

I touched her hand and she gripped my finger so tight that she didn't seem to want to let go and I smiled.

"Kathryn" I said and she let out what sounded like a chuckle. I looked at Dimitri who was smiling too and then he leaned in, giving me and then the baby a kiss.

"Both of you are beautiful" He whispered in my ear and I shivered. Just then his cell phone rang making me jump and the baby started crying so suddenly that I looked down at her scared that there was something wrong with her. But no, she was just crying.

"What…?" I said but Viktoria cut me off.

"The phone scared her" She said looking at Dimitri disapprovingly and he shrugged.

Dimitri answered the call.

"Yes she's fine… Kathryn is with her Mother… no need to do that… go and enjoy… she'll get mad at you for doing it… I warned you…" He laughed. "ok, see you here, bye" He hung up and shook his head, chuckling. "Lissa's coming" He announced looking at me.

"What? But she's supposed to be on her way to the airport not here! Did you tell her that I'll kill her if she comes just for me? She should go and have a wonderful honey moon because she'll be able to see me when she gets back" I protested.

"I told her you wouldn't like it but she insisted and I couldn't keep her from coming." He was right.

"C'mon Rose, don't be hard on her. She just wants to meet my goddaughter" Adrian said and he rubbed his thumb against my daughter's cheek lovingly. Then what he said hit me.

"Your what?" I asked and he chuckled.

"Goddaughter, right little Damphir?" I realized that when he said little Damphir, he didn't mean me, but my baby.

The baby gave him what seemed to be a small smile.

"Don't call her like that Adrian, her name is Kathryn not little Damphir" I complained but the smirk on his face didn't go away. "And she isn't Damphir"

"I know but she likes it" He replied and looked at Dimitri but Dimitri was looking at me not at him so he sighed.

"She doesn't know what it means, I could call you an asshole and she'd like that too" I loved being me again and I was going to take full advantage of that. But what I wasn't prepared for was the fact that the baby actually chuckled this time, well not a real chuckle but something close and I laughed.

"You like that, don't you, Kathryn?" I asked.

"Rose you shouldn't say that around the baby, even though she's barely born you don't want her calling people assholes do you?" Well my mom was right.

"But I could make an exception with Adrian." I replied and he laughed.

"Fine, I'm uncle asshole and she's little Damphir, I'm ok with that" Adrian said and then he sat on one of the sofas at the other end of the room.

"Hey! I didn't…"

"Let it go Roza," Dimitri said. "Today let's just enjoy our daughter."

"You say that now Dimka but when you have her all for yourselves you'll wish for a break. I can tell you because Sonya is like that too." Viktoria continued beaming.

"What? But… nobody told me anything!" Dimitri complained. He obviously had wanted to know as soon as possible to congratulate his dear sister but with all that happened, it hadn't been possible.

"I just called our Mother and she told me. Babushka said congratulations"

"I'm going to call, I want to congratulate her." Dimitri insisted but Viktoria shook her head.

"They'll call you later" She answered when he reached for his phone. Dimitri seemed unsure but nodded. "For now you should focus on your own baby."

Just the Dimitri's phone began ringing so loud because he had put it that way so he could hear it when he wasn't paying much attention; the ringtone was My Heart by Paramore, which I totally loved. The loud music scared the baby and she began wailing again, everyone jumped and started hovering around us like flies over honey. Even I got nervous, what was I supposed to do?

Dimitri looked alarmed but he answered the phone anyways, the whole time he didn't take his eyes off the baby who kept on crying.

I cradled her and began talking to her sweetly so she'd calm down but she didn't seem to want me consoling her because the wailing didn't stop. I was starting to worry because I had no idea what could be wrong with her. Maybe I did something wrong, maybe…

"Roza" I looked up to Dimitri who had a somber expression on his face, his features shadowed by this new awful emotion.

Everyone turned his attention to Dimitri, everyone seemed to know that something was wrong, even the baby stopped crying and simply stared up at us.

"What's wrong?" Viktoria was the first one to ask.

"The Queen, she's on her way here to meet Adrian's daughter" Dimitri's gaze dropped to look at our baby and not Adrian's. Oh, we were in so much trouble because she looked so much like me and had Dimitri's eyes. She didn't look like Adrian at all.

**Finally! Kathryn was born! Don't you think that Rose is amazing? I mean, she got through all the fuss of having her baby and now she was making jokes. But what will happen when the Queen sees the baby? Hmm, nothing good I guess.**

**I wanted to explain to you why I'm not updating as often as before, reason 1) School just started last week and 2) I don't have much time free time with the computers, 3) I barely get much sleep because I have to wake up at freaking 5:40 in the morning to get ready and wait for the bus. Sorry for not being able to update or keep writing. I currently stopped, almost finishing turning point, because I'm very busy with my own story. Remember that story that I told you I'd publish about the girl who met the vampire at a concert and the three very famous vampires? (by the way, do the names Joseff, Paul and Nikolai, sound familiar to you?) Well, I'll try very hard to change the beginning of the story to make it less… cheesy or stupid, either way, and I'll publish it right after I finish writing Dimitri and Rose's story, which has a third and last part. I don't have the name of the last part, yet, I'm still thinking about it but as soon as I finish that I'll continue with Lovely Rose With Thorns and publish the other story.**

**So, as you read, I'm very busy. But a girl has to do what a girl has to do, right?**

**Please review.**

**Usual disclaimers apply. **


	28. Chapter 28

"**The Queen, she's on her way here to meet her granddaughter" Dimitri's gaze dropped to look at our baby and not Adrian's. Oh were in so much trouble because she looked so much like me and had Dimitri's eyes. She didn't look like Adrian at all. **

"What?"My Father asked, there was an edge of anger in his voice which made me wince a little. He didn't know about this stupid excuse, nobody else knew beside me, Dimitri, Adrian and Viktoria, not even Lissa knew. I hadn't had time to tell anyone else.

"Uh… well… Tatiana thinks that Kathryn is Adrian's daughter." I said in a small voice. He raised his eyebrows at Dimitri, who just sighed frustrated.

"Is she?" Well, Abe trusted me so much.

"Of course not, but we kinda had to lie to her. She thinks I was with… Adrian… which is so not true" I finished looking at Viktoria, she smiled at me reassuringly. "and that this baby is Adrian's due to an affair I supposedly had with him. That's as much as I can tell you now"

"Why would you lie to the queen Rose!" My mom said a little bit too loud and I jumped a little. Fortunately the baby seemed to have lost interest in our conversation and was only looking up at me. I held her hand close to my chest, right now I needed her.

"Guardian Hathaway, we did not have any other choice" Dimitri began but shut up with one of my Mother's meanest glare.

"It was my fault" Adrian stood up and walked closer to us, "I lied to my aunt to protect Rose and Dimitri from the punishment they would have received if I hadn't intervened." I was proud of Adrian for standing up to me, I smiled a little at him and he nodded back.

"Lord Ivashkov…" My mom began but was cut off by a knock on the door.

I held my breath knowing what was coming next. The Queen would walk through the door, see my baby and realize that she didn't look anything like Adrian and then probably punish us for lying to her about the baby and for the lie at the trials.

Everyone stared at the door. Finally Adrian took a deep breath and opened the door. Instead of the Queen, Lissa pushed past him and walked to my bed. I breathed out a sigh of relief. It was just my BFF. The danger hadn't arrived yet, we were safe at the moment. Christian came in a moment later, he wore a wry expression.

"Rose!" Lissa hugged me and then leaned back when she saw my baby, her eyes grew wider and watery with tears. "Oh my gosh, the baby, she looks beautiful" Then she looked up to me again. "She looks a lot like you but her eyes and wavy hair…" She stole a glance at Dimitri who was smiling.

"Lissa you shouldn't be here! You should be on your way to some romantic place for your honey moon" I said but it was impossible to stay mad at her and she shook her head.

"I came here to see your baby, what's her name?" she was trying to change the subject, maybe after all these years she did learn something from me. But I wasn't buying any of it.

"Don't change the subject…"

"Kathryn" Dimitri announced. "Her name is Kathryn Belikov" But he wasn't exactly looking at Lissa, his gaze was fixed on me and I felt so good to hear her name, though I was a little bit jealous about the fact that she got the last name Belikov first.

"That's a beautiful name" Lissa said honestly.

"And also tacky" Christian finished rolling his eyes. I glared at him, but he just laughed it off like it was nothing.

"Careful what you say Christian, you might be the next one saying tacky things to your daughter."Adrian intervened with amusement. "After all, you just got married" Christian grunted something that sounded like an insult before looking away.

"Lissa you must go before the Queen gets here" I said and she looked at me questioningly.

"Why would she come here? I didn't know she was ok with you and Dimitri." That made two of us.

"Its hard to explain right now, please just go before her wrath descends upon us and takes you down too." Dimitri pleaded but when I glanced at Lissa I saw determination in her eyes. She wasn't going to let this go so easy.

Christian got up and walked to the door.

"Well, you heard him, let's go" He was smart.

"No, we're staying to talk to Tatiana." Lissa shot him a look that made him sit down, I smirked at him.

"Liss, please" I said.

"No, I'm staying and stop whining about it" I was about to say something but then I realized what she just said. She just said that I was whining… well I was but… She told me…

I looked at Dimitri who also looked astonished at Lissa's response but after a second I just shrugged. She was not in a good mood probably, maybe because she had to come here instead of going to her honey moon just because my baby was born. Well, nobody asked her to come so she shouldn't be in that mood.

"That's, like, the best response ever" Adrian said laughing, he was beside Viktoria and I could see it in his eyes the fact that he was struggling with himself to not close the distance and put his arm around Viktoria.

I looked away before Dimitri could notice me staring at Adrian and Viktoria, we already had enough with the problem about the queen to add this to the list.

"Fine, I'll stop whining about it if you promise to stay out of the conversation." I expected her to complain or something but she didn't.

"Yes, I can do that" Then her face softened as she looked down at my daughter. It felt good to think of her like that, my daughter, mine and Dimitri's.

I smiled down at Kathryn, her brown eyes were looking at me with an intensity that I was very familiar with, I saw it every day in her father's eyes. I liked to think of her as mini me, she looked so much like me, but some features were Dimitri's.

"Can I please hold her?" Lissa asked and I gave my baby to her.

Dimitri stood from the chair, I scooted over to one side and made room for him to sit next to me. When his arm went over my shoulder I relaxed against his chest and grinned at him.

Lissa sat on the chair that Dimitri just vacated and busied her self baby talking to Kathryn, who started to move and wail in her arms. The glow in her eyes made me realize what a good mother she'd be one day. But on the other hand I was wondering about my self. Would I be good enough to be with my daughter?

"Rose, stop thinking so hard. Your going to burn all the neurons in your brain" That was my Father, he made me turn around to face him and I smiled brightly at him.

"I was just… never mind"

"Rose, you should be happy, your daughter is finally here" My mother was right about that, and I was really happy, beaming actually, but the thought of not being a good mother made me a little uneasy.

"We are" Dimitri answered for me, he was smiling down at me and I couldn't help my self. I had to kiss him, and I did. He kissed me back with the same passion, it almost felt like those times when were back at the Academy and we had to steal kisses from each other.

"Dimka… I-I have to tell you something" Viktoria's voice told me everything I needed to know. She was going to tell Dimitri about her relationship with Adrian, the uncertainty in her voice was so obvious.

So I pulled away from Dimitri and looked at Viktoria.

"I think… we're going to go get something to eat and we'll be back later" My Mother said and walked out the door with my Father who waved us good bye. My mother gestured Lissa to follow them, she looked up between Viktoria and us and then walked after them. Christian looked a little freaked out when he saw our expressions so he quietly followed Lissa, he only glanced back once.

As soon as she was out the door and probably out of ear shot Adrian was right next to Viktoria, his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. Beside me I felt Dimitri tense.

"Dimitri, Adrian and I are in love" Viktoria said, her head held high and her voice confident, though she didn't look that much confident anymore when Dimitri leaped out of bed and stood in front of them.

"You what!" I tried to stand up but I was still too sore and couldn't do more than that. Everyone flinched at the sound of his voice, he almost growled.

"Dimitri, I understand that you might be mad now but…" Adrian didn't look too brave anymore when Dimitri interrupted him.

"Damn straight I'm mad! Wouldn't you if you suddenly see your little sister with a… a… _Cyka_!" Adrian seemed puzzled at whatever Dimitri just said but Viktoria didn't. Her face flushed and she took a step closer to stand in front of Dimitri, she looked up at him with anger and slapped him across the face. His head snapped sideways and I gasped. How could she have done something like that!

"Viktoria!" I shrieked but nobody paid any attention to me.

Dimitri and Viktoria engaged into a Russian verbal fight, she shrieking at the top of her lungs something and Dimitri replying back but I didn't need to know Russian to know by their tone that whatever they were saying wasn't pleasant. Viktoria pointed at me twice and then gestured towards Adrian who seemed so concentrated on their conversation; maybe he was trying to decipher what they were saying.

I didn't know that he knew a little bit of Russian and much less could believe that he understood a word they were saying. They talked to fast that I couldn't keep up.

"Dimitri, Viktoria!" They didn't even glance at me. "Dimitri Belikov!" Now both of them turned to me, including Adrian. "Both of you stop the goddamn fight and listen to me. Dimitri please just listen to whatever they have to say first, and then you can do or say whatever you want."

"You knew about this," I opened my mouth to lie about it because I didn't want him to be mad or anything. "Don't deny it because I'm no fool. You knew about this and didn't tell me anything about it. That's why you were so tense since we came back from Russia and you risked the baby's health and yours!" I gaped at him.

"Dimitri stop it!" Viktoria said when she saw me flinch. "I asked her not to say anything, is my fault, I should have thought about how hard it would be for her to keep something from you. I didn't think about the baby or her health, if you're going to be mad at someone it should be me, not her"

"Viktoria, how could you keep something like that from me? I thought we were closer than that, I thought you knew you could trust me. Why keep something like this from me?" The hurt in his eyes and his thickened accent told me how much it hurt him to be the last one to know about his little sister's new found love.

"Because I knew that you weren't that fond of Adrian, Rose told me about your dislike of him and… I thought that… you'd react just like you're doing right now" Viktoria didn't sound that happy about lying either.

"I react this way mainly because you kept it from me, not because of my dislike of him" He took his sister's hands, and then turned to Adrian, he clenched his jaw. "You, shouldn't have been a coward, you should have told me to my face that you… liked my sister" He almost choke out the last words.

"I don't 'like' your sister, I love her" Dimitri's eyes widened in wonder.

"What are you talking about? You just met her three weeks ago, you can't be serious about that!" He was exasperated and ran a hand through his hair, messing it even more in a sexy way. In some way I knew that it was very wrong of me to think about how sexy he looked during such crucial moment but it was kind of impossible.

"Dimitri you're the last person who can talk about falling in love too soon! How long have you known Roza, a little over a year haven't you? And now you have a daughter, isn't that it?" the sarcasm in her voice made Dimitri angry again.

"Its completely different because… because… its different!" I sighed.

"It isn't, Dimitri, it's the same thing because she's right. We've only known each other a while and yet we're really in love. Please Dimitri, just accept it and get over it. Maybe a punch or two would do it, wouldn't it?" I had to take a deep breath to calm my self.

Dimitri looked like he wanted to argue but shut up, he turned to Adrian and took a deep breath.

"I love her Belikov, I really do and you can do whatever you want to do to me if I ever hurt her. Which I'm sure will never happen." I was amazed at his honesty and even I could tell he wasn't lying.

"I won't hold anything back _Lord Ivashkov_ if you ever hurt her, I don't care if you're Moroi or not, I won't hesitate. I never do" with those words Dimitri stepped back and sat on the chair beside my bed again.

Viktoria and Adrian sat on the sofa at the other end of the room. Viktoria looked relieved to know that she wasn't keeping anything from her brother anymore and Adrian because he just got Dimitri's permission to date Viktoria.

"Who's the cradle robber now, uh Adrian?" I smirked at him, it took him a second to realize what I was talking about. Even Dimitri laughed first. He was almost choking on laughter by the time Adrian got it.

"Payback is a bitch isn't?" Dimitri said and then laughed some more.

"Indeed" Adrian answered.

"Fun how rolls are reversed, isn't it?" Dimitri was almost back to his old self and I liked that.

"Oh Damphir, it is very fun" He agreed.

Just then Lissa came back with the baby, she forgot to knock and stood there looking a little scared to come in.

"Are you guys done fighting or do I still have to wait outside with the baby? Because she's hungry and I don't…" she gestured to Kathryn who was trashing on her arms, wailing, not looking happy at all.

"They're done, and even if they weren't I wouldn't care." I said to her ignoring Dimitri's chuckle and Adrian's laughter. Viktoria only smiled a little, because she was still a little tense from all the fighting.

"Ok" Lissa came in and gave her to me. Christian had to stand up because the seat was already taken. But I noticed a stain on his shirt, it looked like… I burst out laughing and earned a glare from Christian.

"What is it Roza?" Dimitri asked. I pointed at Christian and Dimitri chuckled.

"What a reaction you have on girls Christian, always throwing up on you" Adrian shook his head at his own joke.

"Shut up!" Christian warned.

"Anyways" Viktoria said, glaring jokingly at Adrian. He smiled and nodded.

Just then the baby began to cry again, I was a little nervous because this would be the first time breast feeding the baby, but I felt very much uncomfortable with two guys in the room. Dimitri didn't count, even though he was a guy, because he'd already seen me naked many times. But Adrian Christian made me nervous.

When I stared at them they simply stared back.

"Well, what are you waiting for to leave?" I asked then and they looked confused.

"I've got this" Lissa said sighing at their stupidity. "Guys follow me, you can stay if you want Viktoria, the problem is them" As Lissa shooed away the guys Viktoria smiled at me before leaving with the rest of them. I returned her smile.

Dimitri just sat there smiling at me.

I sighed and opened the gown, offering the baby what I got and she took it eagerly. I smiled as I watched her, she had been really hungry.

"Both of you look beautiful Roza" Dimitri finally said after a couple of minutes in silence.

I glanced up at him, "Dimitri I really doubt I look beautiful wearing this stupid gown and feeding the baby. Kathryn, I do believe looks beautiful." I looked down at my hungry daughter. "She's the most beautiful baby in the whole world."

"She is, because she looks like her Mother" I laughed.

"You really have to get over the obsession you have with me," I joked and he chuckled. "Its kind of creepy"

"Never, I could never get over you" He leaned closer with the intention of kissing my cheek but I turned my head to one side and kissed his lips instead. I caught him off guard but he deepened the kiss and cupped my face with both of his hands. I couldn't wrap my arms around his neck because I knew that the baby was in my arms and I didn't want to let go of her.

He was the first one to pull back, but he didn't sit back, instead he just looked me in the eyes and smiled. I could see the love there so clearly that it felt as if I was looking at a mirror or the window to his soul. I'd always been able to see through his mask so easily.

"Dimitri?" I said and he raised an eye brow.

"Yes?"

"You look hot" I said and he laughed. His rich laugh made me feel so happy, because now I could hear him laugh any time, there were no more restrictions, just us.

"Roza, what I'm I going to do with you and those silly words you use to describe me?" He tilted his head to one side and rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"Gotta get use to it comrade" I loved using that particular pet name because I knew how much it bothered him to be called that. Guess he was wishing I'd call him hot instead of comrade now, but too late. I gave him a lopsided grin.

"I wish it was that easy," He leaned closer to me again and I put my hand on his cheek, feeling the rough scrub of beard stubble. I ran my hand along his strong jaw and with one finger I caressed his upper lip. He opened his mouth and bit my finger softly, I giggled at the same time there was a knock on the door.

He pulled away and walked to the door to open it. A man was standing there, wearing the uniform from the guardians at court. His face showed no emotion when he spoke and his voice was flat.

"Your majesty: Tatiana" He said and stepped away from the door frame to let the Queen in. I almost gasped. I'd forgotten all about her visit that I was so surprised to see her entering the room. Walking so gracefully, like there wasn't anything in the world that could make her lose that stupid and fake smile she had on her face.

**Perhaps you were waiting for some sort of real fight when Dimitri finally discovered Viktoria and Adrian's relationship? I'm sorry if its disappointing, but when I wrote this I had other things to considerate, like, plan the Queen's visit, which, by the way, is going to shock you all. This is a real turning point in Dimitri and Rose's new life and I definitely wouldn't like to be them. Well, maybe even so I'd like to be Rose to be with Dimitri, because I'm sure the witch of my aunt wouldn't like me going out with a twenty four year old man, even though her husband is actually fourteen years older than her. So unfair, right? **

**Anyways, lets focus on the story. Please review and tell me what you think will happen. I also wanted to let you know how much I appreciate your reviews and all the support since I started writing After Shadow Kiss. It's been a rough couple of months but you're still reading, I hope.**

**I almost forgot to mention what Cyka means: Bitch. I got that word from another story I read, its called Russian Swear Words. I'm sorry I used that from that story but I don't have time to look up in internet bad words. Sorry.**

**Please review, though, because today I put two chapters. I felt bad for not updating in a long time so please review this one and 27**


	29. Chapter 29

"**The Queen Tatiana" He said and stepped away from the door frame to let the Queen in. I almost gasped. I'd forgotten all about her visit that I was so surprised to see her entering the room. Walking so gracefully, like there wasn't anything in the world that could make her lose that stupid and fake smile she had on her face.**

I embraced tightly my daughter, trying to protect her from the queen's cold gaze. She stopped eating and I put the gown back on to cover me better.

"Don't bother Rosemarie, I'm sure the little one is still hungry" she sat on the seat that Dimitri had vacated.

"Its ok" I said and Dimitri sat on the bed beside me.

"I'd like to hold her," she motioned for the baby and I looked up at Dimitri who nodded. I didn't want to give my baby to her, but I did in case she might get mad.

The Queen held her as if Kathryn wasn't anything else but a cute little baby, she didn't seem to see her as anything else.

"She looks a lot like you Rosemarie, your face is reflected in her but…" I knew she'd realize that the baby didn't look like Adrian at all, that she was mine and Dimitri's only. I looked at Dimitri desperately but he was avoiding the Queen's eyes, he knew his eyes would give us away. Those deep brown eyes were the same ones as Kathryn's. "her eyes… they're brown." She looked up and smiled at me, it was a cold smile, one that sent shivers down my spine. "Just like yours Dimitri, just like yours" She crooned happily, as if this amused her.

Dimitri finally looked at her and she let out a small laugh.

"Your majesty…" He began, but was cut off when the Queen waved her hand dismissively, like this wasn't something important.

"No need Dimitri, no need to explain yourselves. I already know the truth, I talked to someone who knew the truth about your little secret." She was holding my baby's hand, Kathryn was falling asleep so she didn't mind. But I almost expected the Queen to twist her small hand and hear the crack of her bones. "I was a little disappointed in both of you, having this little affair that resulted with this angel."

I tried my best to not let anything show, just as I was sure Dimitri was doing right now, but I could feel his tense muscles beside me.

"I was quite impressed when I was told the reason why this," she motioned to my daughter and I got really mad. How dare she call her this, it was like the meeting at her office all over again. "is here right now. Though I didn't believe it at first, because I still thought she was Adrian's. I'll have a talk with him later. But haven't you two been naughty?" she winked at us. Then her expression became grim, it was fake though. "But I'm afraid that your actions have consequences, very ugly consequences that I'm forced to see they are being imposed." She glanced up at us.

"What?"I snapped and she tsk at me.

"Always so impatient Rosemarie." She looked at Dimitri again. "Dimitri, I'd like to have a few words with Rosemarie, in private" He was about to protest, I knew it, and I also knew that there was something she wanted to tell me that might help us. Something that she knew I probably wouldn't agree to if Dimitri was here. Maybe I could work my way around her bargain, just maybe.

So I nodded at Dimitri, he hesitated before nodding, bowing to the Queen and leaving. He only glanced back once, but that was enough to make me think of my decision again. Was I doing the right thing?

When we were finally alone, I turned to the Queen. She stood up and put the baby on the crib on the other side of the room. My daughter had fallen asleep so she didn't protest. I felt like I needed her the most, like she was the only one bonding me to happiness.

The Queen sat back on the chair and smiled at me.

"Stop the fake smiles and concern." I said and her expression turned from fake happiness to something close to hatred. I flinched a little.

"Very well Rosemarie, I'll stop pretending if you do the same. We both know that there wasn't anything between you and Adrian, it was some lie he fabricated to save you from your and Dimitri's punishment. You might want to know that lying at court, under an oath, is a very serious felony, and you and Dimitri broke that law."

"I know, we both know but nothing can change that. Though you shouldn't bother about that, because we both know the reason why we did it. What would you have done if you'd known the truth? That Dimitri and I had feelings for each other and almost, _almost_, had sex in his room while being at the Academy?" she pressed her lips together.

"The law is the law, Rosemarie. You and Dimitri made a mistake, which you will pay for. Unless…" Her grim expression became a grin, a wicked grin that made me think of her as the wicked witch/bitch of the west. I knew that whatever she was going to say I wouldn't like it. I just knew it "Unless you keep her a secret," she looked at my daughter and then back at me. I didn't understand what she meant. "Unless you keep your secret of being able to have children with another Damphir to yourself, and don't tell anybody about it." Was she serious? That was it? To keep a secret the fact that Kathryn was my daughter and Dimitri's? But I sensed a 'but' in her words, there were always buts. She wasn't someone you could trust.

"But what? I suppose there's another condition" I held my head high as I said this, to let her know that I wasn't cowering. Her smile never left her face.

_**!(Turning Point)!**_

"You leave, unless you leave and never come back" I gaped at her for a few seconds before being able to speak again. She just wanted us to go away, something I was very content with. So I nodded, a little too eagerly.

"We'll do it. Dimitri and I will take our daughter with us and leave" but she was already shaking her head. What was wrong now? I thought she wanted me to leave.

"You have to leave and only you" I could feel the rush of blood in my ears. There was no way she just said that, because if she did then we, I, was doomed. I would never be able to do that, not only because what she was asking me to do was nearly impossible to do, but because I would never be able to leave him. Dimitri was my life, and now my daughter needed me and she was asking me to leave.

I shook my head and felt a tear roll down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly but the Queen didn't seem to care that I was on the verge of tears.

"No" I said but didn't recognize my voice. It sounded so empty, like it belonged to a ghost. "I'm not leaving Dimitri or my baby" She nodded, as if she really understood. But she didn't care.

"Fine, you can stay. But let me tell you that I'll make sure you and Dimitri pay for the consequences of your acts." She paused to let her words sink in before continuing. "You have to know that lying at court is a very serious crime and I could make sure you and him go to jail. You could even give Victor some company! Wouldn't that be lovely? Because I'm very sure he'd like to repay both of you the favor of sending him to jail. He could testify that the spell he put on the necklace only worked if… the two people had some feelings for each other." She raised an eye brow, daring me to contradict her.

"You can't prove that it really happened. For all everyone knows, Dimitri and I were only mentor and student. Nothing happened between him and me while I was a student at the Academy." I said, hoping that it was true the fact that nobody besides Alberta and Kirova knew about us. Because if I was wrong, then we were in so much trouble.

"Well, let's do the math shall we?" She wasn't expecting an answer because she went on without waiting for one. "Its been about four months and a half since you got out of the Academy, hasn't it?- Of course, your baby is now born and it didn't reach the eight months. Weird isn't it? A normal Moroi pregnancy is of about six to seven months and your baby is Moroi, which is the result of a Damphir and another Damphir. But according to me your baby must have been conceived in around the time after the attack at the school." It was actually the same day as the attack of the school and not after, but she wasn't going to know that.

"So, try to explain that to a jury. How is that possible? Because as far as I know, you and your friends came here just days before the attack. I thought you were with my nephew but that was never the case, now I know that. It was Dimitri you liked, who you were having an affair with, and who the jury will accuse of statutory rape, not to mention charges for obstruction of the law. You will be accused of these last one, I think that it will be enough for you and Dimitri to get out in a couple of years, maybe by the time your daughter graduates from the Academy. Maybe you'd be lucky if you get out at that time, and the same thing that happened between you and your mother will happen again. You won't have any contact with your daughter in years, we could tell her that you're guarding your charge, just like Dimitri, and that you can't visit her because you don't want to leave your Moroi unprotected. Isn't that what happened with your mother? Because I'm sure you'd rather tell her that then tell her the truth: that you and her Father are in jail. I promise you to take care of her, Adrian will be like a step dad for her and nothing will happen to her because she's Moroi." She leaned closer to me.

It hurt me to have her so close to me knowing that she was planning to destroy me and the small family that Dimitri and I had.

"Besides, I know about Adrian and Viktoria, wouldn't it be a shame if those two weren't able to be together because of… let's say an inconvenient obstacle? I don't want my nephew to end up with a Damphir, much less her. Because she's not Moroi and I don't like her at all." I let out a sob, I hadn't intended to, but her words made me feel so… helpless because I couldn't do anything. It would be my fault if Adrian and Viktoria didn't end up together, I knew that the Queen would do anything in her power to keep all of us apart.

I didn't want to be responsible for Adrian and Viktoria's break up, or Dimitri's misery but if this was the only way to keep them safe. If I agreed to leave then Kathryn might lose me, a young mother who wasn't sure if she could be good for her daughter, but she'd gain a responsible and loving Father that wouldn't let anything happen to her.

She'd also be able to see her Father, even if she went to school. She wouldn't be deprived of Dimitri's love, or my parents. Lissa would be there for her, I was sure and Adrian and Viktoria would help Dimitri and my daughter. Almost everything was covered, except the fact that I'd hurt Dimitri, I'd hurt him so much by leaving. He would never forgive me, I was sure of that but there was no other option.

This way less people would suffer, less people didn't mean that I liked it because the person I cared for the most was definitely going to suffer.

"You wouldn't dare to hurt Adrian, if you even have a heart you'll leave him alone to be happy with Viktoria." I had to try one last time to make sure she wouldn't hurt Adrian or Viktoria. I loved them both, Viktoria was like a sister to me and Adrian one of my best friends.

"I'd do it if you accept my offer and leave. I promise you that your daughter will have the best. I'll make sure of that and Dimitri will be head of security here at court. He'll have the best salary, do you have any idea how many people would like that? Many guardians wish for that position and Dimitri could have it so easily." She snapped her fingers.

"Why do you want me to leave, there must be something more besides what your telling me. I want the truth and I might say yes." Her face lit up like a candle but I felt rotten inside, as if I'd just done a deal with the devil. And I think I actually did.

"I told you that it was because I want this to stay a secret, I don't want everyone to suddenly get their hopes up about being able to have kids between Damphirs, do you have any idea what that would cause? A very big commotion that I want to avoid." She smiled a little. "Besides, you would be very useful in Russia, hunting down those Strigoi that were in charge of the woman that was killed when they rescued you." She leaned closer again and I flinched. "Because what happened at the Academy wasn't a coincidence, they were after Dimitri." My eyes widened and I couldn't believe it. The attack at the Academy had been for… We never knew.

Oh my god, she was right! Galina had wanted Dimitri because he was one of the best Guardians and she wanted him to be Strigoi. A Damphir as good as Dimitri was would be very valuable for Strigoi and more likely to become their leader. That was the reason why if I went to Russia and killed as many as I could…

"I'd be protecting Dimitri from the Strigoi." I said in a small voice and she nodded.

"Exactly, and not only Dimitri but your daughter also. Because if I'm not wrong, the next likely to be a target would be her. Not to mention Lissa, as the last Dragomir she is also another target and Adrian also, for being my nephew. But Adrian will have all the security needed besides Viktoria when she graduates and being Dimitri's sister she'll be another best." She sounded so proud and sure that I felt sicker.

She was admitting that she'd leave Adrian and Viktoria alone, and I'd be protecting Dimitri and my daughter.

"Rosemarie you're just as good as Dimitri, maybe even better because you've fought against him once and won. You are the one that should go ahead and try to keep everyone else here safe. I'll give you anything you need to go to Russia and start training again. You need to catch up from the time you were unable to fight and there you'll…" I cut her off.

"I haven't said anything yet! I haven't agreed yet and you're already telling me everything I'm supposed to do." I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated for not knowing what to do. "What I'm I supposed to tell Dimitri anyways?" I looked at her in the eyes, feeling the weight of what she was asking me.

"Nothing, you are not supposed to tell him anything about where you're going because he might go after you." My jaw dropped. "Just leave him, tell him that you…" she seemed to think about it. "That you aren't prepared to be a mother yet and that you're not sure about him anymore."

"We're engaged!" I showed her the ring on my middle finger and she frowned as if it was nothing more than a small bother. "He'll never believe that, he knows me too well and if I lie to him he'll know. He'll always know" I finished in a small voice.

"Well, you can simply leave and not tell him anything. Leave a letter for him, something like that so you won't have to face him. But you must do it as soon as possible, just try to look as grim as possible whenever you're around your daughter. Show him how bad you feel and insecure, anything, because you only have a month." She sighed as if this was tiring her and I scoffed.

**Ohhh, she's saying yes! I can't believe it! Well, actually I can because I wrote it, duh! I'm so excite about how things are going, this story just got even more interesting, didn't it? I hope you're all wondering what will happen. I'll tell you: Rose gets killed and Dimitri becomes Strigoi, then Kathryn does too… nah, I was just kidding. A story as romantic and heartbreaking as this one couldn't end up like this! **

**I cant tell you the end because I don't even know it yet. I'm still trying to finish this part of the story first and then I'll work on the third and last one. But I still don't know how what to do for the end… I kind of do but… well I just have to work on so many details!**

**Please review and don't even try to hate me because I know you love me!**


	30. Chapter 30

"A month? Are you fucking kidding me? How can you just give me a month with my daughter and Dimitri? If this is a joke then it went a little too far don't you think?" Sarcasm was the only thing I had left because the other option was burst out crying and I wasn't going to let her see me like that.

"Rosemarie this is certainly not a joke, now, I'm warning you that once you say yes you can't simply back down in a month or two. Once you agree you leave for an unlimited time, maybe even years." The soft edge to her voice made wonder if she had more reasons to send me away.

"I understand, but I really need to hear you say it. Promise me that you'll make sure Dimitri and my daughter are fine, no matter what happens. Because if I'm going to be saving your butt at Russia you have to keep my life safe. Tatiana, they are my life." She nodded.

"I promise, and let me tell you something Rose, this, what I'm doing, is not only because the law says but because I'm trying to keep my people together. If word of this miracle spreads around, there will be uprisings of Damphir and Moroi wanting to know how that is possible. Soon there will be Damphirs looking for Spirit users, like Lissa and trying to be shadow kissed." The look in her eyes almost convinced me that she was doing this for a good cause, but not quite. "We don't know what might happen next but now you know my reasons."

She stood up, glanced at the baby once and then turned to me.

"She really is beautiful. I do apologize for having to send you away from her. Just remember that you have only a month, you may go back to your house and enjoy the little time you have. But a month from now, I'll send someone to meet you and take you to the airport. Don't bring much luggage, everything that you need will be provided, money and food, you haven't to worry about that."

"Fine" I felt like I just signed my death sentence.

"Fine. I'll see you later Rosemarie and don't forget that nobody can know about this." She left the room and I just sat there, not knowing what to do next. Maybe go to sleep, because I certainly felt like I'd just been hit by a car.

I couldn't believe what I've just done. I was going to leave Dimitri and my own daughter. I was going to break his heart and shatter mine also. What could be worse than hurt the one you loved the most? Nothing and I was the one that would look like a monster. But if this was the only way to keep Dimitri and my baby safe from the Strigoi that were probably looking for them, then I'd do it. I'd sacrifice my love for Dimitri for his life.

I was sure that Lissa would be great help, Viktoria too, and Kathryn wouldn't need anything. She'd be safe and loved even if I couldn't be with her. But what about Dimitri? He'd have our daughter but what else? Who would he be able to talk to if I wasn't there to share the joy of being parents? He'd probably… No. I needed to stop thinking, even if it was selfish. I couldn't keep wondering about this. I had a month, one month to enjoy my daughter and Dimitri and no time to mope around.

If I was going to do this, I was going to enjoy my self first before having to leave. But just in case, I needed to talk to Tasha. She was Dimitri's friend and if needed I was sure she'd be there for him. So I needed to talk to her without making her suspicious. Easy.

"Roza?" I turned to see Dimitri entering. He sat back on the chair he'd been before and took my hand. "Are you all right?" Was I?

"Yes," I lied but let out a nervous laugh that must have made him suspicious. Could I really lie to him in this cruel way? Give him hope and then crush it, just like that? Ok, so I didn't even sound convincing to me. "I'm fine."

He studied my face and sighed frustrated. "You are lying, tell me what happened. What did the Queen say?" He walked over to the bed and sat down next to me. He put one arm around me and brought me closer to his chest. I leaned against him and felt like nothing could hurt me, his warm body feeling amazing against mine. He stroke my hair with one of his hands, making me sigh.

I wanted to tell him the truth, really, but I knew that I couldn't.

_Lie_, I told my self.

"She… she knows that Kathryn isn't ours, and she said that she didn't want anyone to know that she's our daughter. We must keep the fact that she'd ours a secret." I said in a small voice, sounding convincing because it was the truth, not all of it though.

"And…?" He asked, already knowing that there was more, but I couldn't tell him that.

"She won't press charges against us for what happened when I was at the Academy."

My lie worked because Dimitri let out a relieved sigh and I was very disappointed. I'd been counting on Dimitri to bust my butt and realize what I just did. That for once, he'd been like me and had eavesdropped on our conversation to know what I had in mind. That he'd suddenly would start yelling at me for agreeing to such stupid request and that we'd get through this together. I'd been secretly counting on that, hoping to make him suspicious and be able to have to say no to the Queen but it didn't happen.

Dimitri smiled at me and kissed my forehead as if nothing was wrong, as if I wasn't screaming inside for help. For once I was the one that needed help and nobody was helping me. There was no BFF that would rush to my side at this moment because my BFF was a weak and useless Moroi! But I loved her, I loved her even though she couldn't help me.

Dimitri. Oh my loving Dimitri. What would happen to us?

**DPOV**

It had been a while since the Queen came out. I'd seen her when I was pacing back and forth at the end of the hallway, not being able to get closer because the herd of guardians that had been in front of the door and not letting anyone else in.

Was it time for me to go in, or did Roza wanted some time alone? I wasn't the impatient type but the way I saw it, we were going to jail or Roza managed to convince the Queen that we hadn't done anything wrong. The first one was more likely and it made me so mad. Because if Roza and I went to jail or something, then our daughter would have to go directly to the Academy to be raised there, just like Janine did with Roza, and I would never forgive my self for having to do that.

I loved my daughter and I loved Roza, I'd do anything to protect them but from jail I wouldn't be able to do anything.

So I decided that it was enough time and I needed to know where we were. I poke my head and in and saw Roza. She was just sitting there, with a thoughtful look and some dried tears on her cheeks. I was torn between going and or simply wait for her to realize I was there.

"Roza?" I wanted to go in already.

She looked at me and managed a small smile. I went in and sat on the chair, taking her hand because I needed to make sure she was ok. I needed her to know that I here with here no matter what just happened. We'd get through all of this together.

"Are you All right?"

"Yes," There was an edge to her voice, I wasn't so convinced but if there was something wrong she'd tell me. I knew she would. "I'm fine"

I looked at her, trying to decide whether she was lying or not. It wasn't that I didn't trust her, just that I didn't trust the Queen. "You are lying, tell me what happened. What did the Queen say?"

I embraced her and she leaned against my chest. I felt better the moment she was close to me and I could protect her, even if I didn't know exactly what had happened when I left. I stroke her hair trying to soothe her, she was shaking a little.

"She… she knows that Kathryn isn't ours, and she said that she didn't want anyone to know that she's our daughter. We must keep the fact that she'd ours a secret." It sounded simple, we could keep our daughter a secret by saying that we'd adopted the little girl. It wasn't common among us, much less for a Damphir couple, but we could say that because we couldn't have kids on our own we were taking care of Kathryn. Still. There had to be more.

"And?" I asked.

"She won't press charges against us for what happened when I was at the Academy." She meant our little affair of course. The Queen probably thought this was a good bargain. Which meant that we were going to be ok, everything was ok. We'd be able to go back to Montana and have a life as normal as possible with our daughter. Everything would be all right after I started my job at the Academy and soon Roza and I would be able to get married.

But then why didn't I feel as good as I thought I would? Something was wrong, very wrong but I didn't know what. Maybe it was the fact that I'd just seen my little sister with Adrian. Adrian of all men on earth!

I tried to calm my self. I smiled and leaned closer to kiss Roza's forehead she let out a small sigh.

"Roza everything was going to be fine" I said and she nodded.

"I know it will."Then she looked over to the crib where our baby was sleeping and we both grinned.

It had been a week since we went back to Montana. This house, beautiful house seemed dull to me when Dimitri wasn't here. Dimitri sometimes would have to go so suddenly that he'd barely have time to say goodbye to me or the baby. But needless to say he would also find time for us. He was working back at the academy, odd hours, and I would worry every time he went there because memories of the attack a couple of months ago would come back to me.

But he promised me that things had changed since the last time I was there. The wards had been strengthened, more guardians were patrolling and the kind of magic that the idiots of Jessie and his friend did had been forbidden. He swore that not many students were sneaking out anymore, there was the occasional Rose Hathaway wannabe but he/she always got caught.

I remembered the night he told me that. We were on the couch, watching a movie and I was feeding Kathryn. Dimitri's lips had been trailing kisses up and down my jaw, distracting me. But every kiss reminded me so much of what I'd lose in a couple of weeks.

"Dimitri…" I moaned.

"Hmm?"

"Kathryn… she's here" That was enough for him to stop it and lean back.

I felt like I lost something very precious but the baby was between us and we had no time for this. Even though I yearned for Dimitri. I wanted him, all of him and I missed him so much when he wasn't at home.

"I've missed you" I blurted out so suddenly that I couldn't believe I just said, even if it was true.

"Roza I know, I've missed you too" I felt bad for making him feel bad about it. Because I did understand. "And I wish I could stay here with you and Kat but…" I cut him off.

"Kat" I repeated, trying to raise my eyebrow like he did. Dimitri looked away a sec.

"Yes, it's a nickname. It suits Kathryn" To me it sounded kind of like Cat or something like that.

"Well, it does, but I still want to learn Russia" I said laughing.

We worked on my pronunciation for couple of minutes before I realized it was useless. He said it was getting better, he was also a bad liar.

"Let's just change subjects, tell me how is going at the Academy. Is Viktoria being a good girl?" Somehow I knew that he'd been checking on his sister now that he knew about Adrian and Vik.

"Viktoria is… good." Oh I knew it. He caught them doing the dirty. I laughed at his expression.

"What did she do? Kissed Adrian in front of Kirova to rub it on her face?" Seriously, the mere thought of that made me so happy for her because that what I probably would have done if I'd had a brother.

"Of course not! She… well she actually has been very discreet about her relationship with Adrian. But I just… I don't know. I'm not even sure if I should worry so much about her. Because I have this feeling that I should be worrying about something" He looked at me in the eyes. "I just don't know about what."

He was even more perceptive than I'd thought. I still had hope that he'd realize there was something wrong with me, that he'd stop me from doing that stupid thing and everything would be fine. But I couldn't tell him anything.

"Dimitri... you have to stop worrying about her. She's fine, she knows what she's doing." The baby had fallen asleep on my arms and was looking so serene that I wished I were her so I could be able to just forget about whatever I had to do.

"I know that but I just can't shake that feeling." I couldn't believe that I'd do something like that.

"Dimitri why don't you just go to sleep early? I'll get up at night if the baby wakes up again. Don't worry about anything ok?" Yes, I was being selfish.

"No, I'm not tired and I want to spend as much time with you as I can" His words made me plant even more roots in here so nobody would be able to take me away. But it was too late for that now. I'd given the devil my word.

Nights were pretty much tired. Kathryn would wake up every two to four hours and Dimitri and I had to get up. Dimitri was the one that calmed her down a bit and I fed her. She was so happy whenever Dimitri was around. I knew that her sight wasn't good because she was still small but when Dimitri was close enough or heard his voice she'd turn to him and almost smile.

Dimitri loved to play with her. At night he'd put her on the bed between us and murmur things in Russian to her that I didn't understand. The sight of him with her made the ache in my heart intensify because I knew that soon I wouldn't be there for them anymore.

I didn't realize I'd made a choking sound till Dimitri looked up at me with a worried expression.

"Roza, what's wrong?" He asked, propping himself up on his elbows. I was right next to my daughter on the other side, my head resting on my arm and I didn't dare to look at him afraid that he might figure it out. Because even though I wanted him to know I knew that it would mean Kathryn losing both of her parents.

"Nothing, its just that…" I trailed off, not being able to form a lie just yet.

I was tired of all the lies and the fact that soon he'd realize that I wasn't sticking around.

"What Roza, what?" His voice was frantic but I still didn't dare to say anything.

Instead I just stared at my daughter for a few seconds, taking in how beautiful she looked. Her eyes were closed but I knew that if I looked beneath her eyelids I'd see brown eyes, the same as Dimitri. The hair, which was still short, was dark brown, almost black, just like mine and her skin. She wasn't tanned because we didn't know if she, being Moroi and all, would be able to go outside. But her skin wasn't as pale as the average Moroi, it was creamy and her cheeks had some color. As if a red petal was under her skin, making her look more Damphir than Moroi. She was so beautiful.

Dimitri was so present in her, not just her eyes but her character. She wouldn't suddenly start screaming when she was hungry, no, she would start making noises and wait for me to get up. She was patient and calm, just like Dimitri. If it had been I then she'd probably start screaming her lungs out the moment she woke up hungry.

But no, she was more like Dimitri.

"Roza, look at me!" He was worrying, like he always did.

I wonder if he'd be the same in a couple of years when he hated me for leaving so suddenly. Somehow I doubted that his love would be strong enough to hold back the intensity of the hatred he'd accumulate over the years. Because no matter how much he loved me, with all his heart, I knew that as good as he was at loving, he could also be able to hate, with all his heart. Since I already knew that everyone was able to hate, just as much as to love, I didn't want him to hate me.

Just the thought of knowing that he would hate me made something tug at my heart and make me want to puke or punch something.

Finally, I looked up at him. He looked very worried, but there was something else in his eyes.

"Remember that one time when I forced that kiss out of you during one of our practices, just before we went to the ski lodge?" He looked surprised for a second but then chuckled a little, it didn't sound like him that much but it lightened the mood a bit.

"Yes, Roza" He leaned closer, trying to avoid colliding with our daughter. "I remember each one of those stolen kisses. I'll never forget them" You'll wish you were able to soon, I thought.

"You know why I did it?" I touched his cheek lovingly. He shook his head with his eyes closed, enjoying my touch that would soon not be there anymore.

"I did it because I loved you. I knew it was wrong and risked us getting caught, that's how selfish I am." He opened his eyes. "I want you to know that when I do something that looks wrong, I have a reason, I always have a reason. That day my excuse was that I needed you, that's why I kissed you and because I wanted to know how much control you had. I wanted to prove you wrong. I did" I must have sounded crazy because he searched my face for something wrong.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Well, that most of the things I do are because I love you. I'll always love you Dimitri, never forget that. Because even if I do something wrong or foolish is because of the love I feel for you." I looked down at my daughter, who had been watching us this whole time. I hadn't even realized that she'd awaken. "And now I also love her, with all my heart" I kissed her forehead.

"But I'm not so sure if I will be good for her. Dimitri I want the best for her, do you think I'd be able to give her what she needs? I'm young and still foolish, you are the one that keeps me from being irrational because I want to be worth of your love, but will I ever be able to be what she needs?" My voice broke as I said this last words and next Dimitri was hugging me, comforting me.

I didn't deserve it, I knew it, I was only making things worse but I didn't pull away. I wanted to have him close, as close as we could be with our daughter between us on the bed. Because this would only make my departure harder for both of us and I cried. I let out all that had been bottled inside me for the past two weeks since I talked to Tatiana, the rage and depression. I couldn't take it anymore. But I was grateful that he was here. That he didn't hate, yet, and that he still loved me. I knew that he'd hate me and thanked god that I'd be miles away from here and wouldn't see the hatred in his eyes, voice.

"Take it easy Roza, everything will be fine. Roza you will be the best mom, you aren't selfish, you do what you do because you feel like you need to do it to protect those you love. And Kathryn, she couldn't have gotten a better mom" I pulled away and looked up to his eyes.

"I—I" My stuttering didn't help things, neither did the hiccups for all the crying and sobbing. I realized that his shirt was all wet from the tears and I tried to pull away again but he held me tight against him.

"You will be able to do this, we will. Together, like the family we are" He kissed me and for a moment I forgot about everything.

Just for a moment.

**Poor Rose, she'll have to leave, or, will she? I don't know… I could change things, but I won't. I have these chapters already written and I don't want to change anything. And yes, I've read your reviews about the last chapter and I realized that the majority of you aren't happy about what's going to happen with Rose leaving and all, but please, have in mind that every tragic story has a happy ending. So, please, don't hate me for doing this. I've been planning it for a couple of months and I already started to write the third part, which means that I can't back down now with the plot. **

**Nonetheless, don't hate me. The story will be full of good stuff and all. Besides, if I don't send Rose away, then I won't be able to come up with something else and I won't be able to update Lovely Rose With thorns, which I'm working on again. I know that many of you have been wondering when will this crazy chick update? Well, soon. Maybe, but only if you keep reviewing this story. On second thought... I just got a new laptop and I've got internet. Actually, I'm stealing internet from the neighbors with the Wi-Fi thingy. I'm so proud of my self. Finally the lessons I took are paying off.**

**I will also post the other story about the girl and the three Vamprie brothers, if you guessed who those names are based on, please don't make fun of me! I was going through a phase, ok?**

**So, please review and forgive me if this seems like its going nowhere, it is going somewhere. **

**Love you!**


	31. Chapter 31

"**You will be able to do this, we will. Together, like the family we are" He kissed me and for a moment I forgot about everything.**

**Just for a moment.**

Because every single day I thought about the upcoming date, the day my freedom expired and I'd have to leave here and go fight against Strigoi. Every day I thought about the same thing, twisted my future in a way that I thought impossible. I liked to think that someday, I'd be able to com back and get everything back, because Tatiana wouldn't stay on the throne much longer, ten to fifteen years max. She'd leave the throne, I'd be able to come back and everything would be all right, just the way it should have been in the beginning.

Whenever Dimitri wasn't around and I was alone at home with Kat I'd simply breakdown, start crying and crying till I'd run out of tears, or till the baby would start wailing silently with me. Sometimes I liked to think that she wanted with me all the time because she understood what was going on. That somehow she knew what was going on with me that she understood when I told her how much I loved her and that soon I wouldn't be able to be with her anymore.

We were on the living room and I was breast feeding her, I liked to be able to do that, any contact with her, especially this, made think that we were forming a bond that wouldn't break no matter how far away from her I was. No matter for how long we wouldn't see each other. Because I was hoping that someday, someday I'd be able to come back.

"You understand me right? You understand why I'm doing this, that I'm doing it to protect you and your daddy right? Because I wouldn't do this otherwise. I wouldn't leave you or your Daddy, ever, but the other option was leaving you without both of us and I don't want this. I promise that he'll take good care of you" she was looking at me, she recognized me but probably didn't understand.

"Because you know how much he loves you, you even make him baby talk to you in Russian. I even bet you that he'll teach you how to speak Russian! Doesn't that sound amazing? If I could I'd show you how to swear so you would be able to make the bunch of guys that I'm sure will be at your heels when you grow up fall for you. You are going to be so much more beautiful than you already are. I bet they won't be able to take their eyes off you. But Dimitri will make them back off with a single glare." I laughed.

It was so funny, imagining Dimitri glaring at guys for staring at Kat in such a way. I knew that he'd be over protective, just like he was with Viktoria. I still remembered the moment Viktoria dropped the bomb on Dimitri saying that she was in love with Adrian. That look on his face… I laughed. I couldn't help it because it had been on my daughter's birthday.

"Just promise me one thing ok? Promise that you won't hate me, that you will understand no matter what I say or do. Also promise me that you will be good with your daddy and that you will understand him when he is in pain. Just remember that no matter what, both of you will always be a part of me." I kissed her feet, her cheeks and her forehead.

I wanted her to understand so bad, to talk to me, it was crazy because I knew she couldn't. She was barely weeks old. But I already loved her as if I've known her all my life.

Just then the phone rang. I picked the baby up and went to answer the phone with her on my arms. She was so light for me, almost like a feather. Guess that all the training paid off.

"Hello?"

"Rose!" Tasha, I was surprised. "Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry for not being able to go see you and your baby. I'm really sorry. I've been kind of busy, really and…" I cut her off.

"Its ok Tasha, don't apologize" I chuckled. She was such a good friend maybe she could… no. I couldn't drag her into my misery and she'd probably go and tell Dimitri about it or try to talk to the Queen. She was Dimitri's best friend and would do everything to protect him from the pain awaiting him as soon as I left. So she wasn't an option, nobody was.

"Ok, I won't say it again but please tell me all about it! I want to know how's it been for you and Dimka, how's Kat?" Well, guess she must have already heard Lissa or my Mother saying that nickname.

"We're… as fine as we can be with a little baby" I admitted. She chuckled.

"I bet she's been keeping you up all night, hasn't she?" she sounded amused.

"Yes, but we're happy anyways."

"I bet. I can also imagine Dimka melting at the sight of her." I laughed sadly, sounding a little wrong.

"Yes, and I might not know Russian but I'm pretty sure he baby talks to her" She gasped.

"Really? I knew it! I knew he would." Then her voice changed, from teasing to serious and I knew she'd caught something in my voice. Why did everyone have to be so perceptive? "But Rose, are you really all right? Because…" I cut her off. She couldn't keep it up or else I might spill the beans.

"I'm fine, really! Just a little tired. Kathryn kept us up last nigh and…" I let out a sob.

I screwed it all up. Now she heard me crying and would probably go and tell Dimitri that I'd been crying, again.

"Rose?" Her voice was gentle, understanding. "I'm coming over to your house, is that ok?" Say no, say no.

"Yes, please" I was a wimp for not being able to get a hold of my self.

"Ok, I'll be there in twenty minutes."

We hung up and I went back to the couch. Kat was asleep again and I left her on her crib to sleep better. I got up and went in the study for paper and pen. When I found them I went back to the kitchen and sat there, holding the pencil and thinking about what I should write to Dimitri. He deserved an explanation and I was going to give it to him.

_My beloved Dimitri,_

_I'm so sorry. You have no idea how I feel for having to do this to you, to our daughter. I know she doesn't deserve any of this, she's innocent. But before you start hating me, let me explain to you why I'm doing this. _

_You see, I love you, I really do. I will always do, no matter what. But this, this is just too much. When I realized I was pregnant, that I was able to give you a daughter, I thought it was the best thing that could have happened to us. It really is, but I guess I just never thought what responsibilities would come with our daughter. I love her, with all my heart, but I'm so overwhelmed by all of this. She's the best baby, she's my everything but I just can't deal with this anymore._

_You were right when you said that the difference of age would be a problem, I'm still too young, irresponsible, and foolish. I can't take it anymore. _

_I have to leave._

_I might sound like a monster to you for leaving, but I'm not. I'm confused and… I don't know. I just feel like I need my space, need to go someplace else and… relax. _

I stopped writing and tossed the piece of paper aside. This sounded so wrong, so stupid and childish that not even I would have believed it. If I was going to leave a letter for him it had to be good, explaining everything and not unbelievable lies. I was going to lie to him, he at least deserved to be able to believe them.

So I decided to begin again. Maybe if I wrote the truth, just as a draft or something to be able to construct a believable lie. Yes, that was it. I needed it to let it all out first, before lying to him. After that I'd have to destroy this one and he'd only see the other one.

_My beloved Dimitri,_

_I haven't been my self lately, you've noticed that. But I didn't tell you exactly why. But before you come with your own conclusions, hear me out, or rather read me out. _

_The day Kathryn was born and the Queen visit me at the hospital, you remember that she figured out you were the real Father. I still don't know how she figured that out, but that's not the point because no matter how she did, she did and I lied to you. _

_Because she never approved of us, she didn't like the idea of me and you together and she wasnt just ok with us keeping our daughter a secret. Nothing personal, I hope, but for her own egotistical reasons, she threatened to put you and me in jail for an unlimited time and take our daughter to the Academy so she'd be raised there. We probably would never be able to see her. Tatiana probably wouldn't even tell her who her real parents are, which is why I agreed to her bargain. Otherwise I would never have agreed, I swear. _

_She gave me the option of going to jail or to leave. Yes, leave. She offered me the option of leaving to Russia where I'd be fighting Strigoi, she told me that Galina hadn't been the only one after you. I don't know how she got all the information but she said that now they weren't only after you but our daughter too. I won't let anything happen to either of you. I love you and Kat so much that I will leave to protect you. I promise to someday come back, I don't know how I'll do that but I promise you that. You might also wonder why such a light threat might make me agree to such a thing but you see, it wasn't only our future that was in danger. She told me that she knew about Viktoria and Adrian, as you suppose, she also didn't like it. She said that she'd do whatever she could to break them apart and you might think that they don't really love each other, that is just some fling that will end soon but is not. _

_Dimitri they love each other, they really do. I've seen it in her eyes, in his eyes. It's the same thing I see in our eyes. Please admit it, I know you don't like Adrian for your sister, you think that she would do better with someone else but think that if Adrian makes her happy then there's nothing else to discuss. Just admit that he loves her._

_I'm very aware of the pain that it will cause you my departure, I know the risks also, that I might get killed or turn into Strigoi. But I'm releasing you from any responsibilities that involve me. If something happens don't feel guilty or anything because that would only mean that I wasn't strong enough. You trained me, and you did it well, which is why is more likely that nothing will happen to me. But if something does, like me getting kidnapped again just to lure you in, don't come looking for me please. Because that's exactly what they want, so don't give yourself to them. Take care of our daughter, I know you will without me reminding you but just… take care of both of you. _

_I also want you to know that is very hard for me to do this, you have no idea how hard, but I'm being selfish by telling you this. Because I know it will be hard for you too, maybe harder because of our daughter but money is all covered. Tatiana will make you head of security at court, you'll have to live there but I guess is fine as long as you won't be alone while raising our daughter. I'm sure Lissa, Adrian, Viktoria, Christian and my parents will be there for you. Not to mention Tasha whom you appreciate the most. I'm sure she understands what is like to raise a kid alone; she'll be of great help. _

_And when I mean that she'll be great with you, I literally mean for you. Because I won't keep you tide up to me, you can go on with your life without worrying about me. Please do, and I know how much you love Tasha, maybe not in the same way we do, but in a different and maybe deeper way. She knows you so well, she's such a great friend and woman. I like her a lot, she's been of great help and I adore her like a sister. She'll be great for you and for our daughter, please don't let our daughter grow up without a mother. I won't be there for her but please, let Tasha and everyone else be there for her._

_Dimitri, don't ever forget how much I love you. Please. I might not deserve it but I ask for your forgiveness. Because I am really sorry. And if I didn'y tell you anything about this in person was because I knew you'd do something drastic. I dont't want anything to happen to you._

_Always yours, Roza _

This was a god head start.

With all that out of my heart now I could start writing the real thing. But would it be easier now? I didn't know, which is why I started writing all over again because knew I had something. I knew it would hurt even more but this was the only way to break it, a clean break would heal faster. I'd heard that before, many times over the years and never really thought about it. But now, I was about to break fast and clean Dimitri's heart, kind of like breaking mine. Every word that I was about to write down was such a big fat lie that I was just hoping he wouldn't notice them. I was hoping he'd believe it.

So I began writing.

_Dimitri,_

To make it more believable I had to sound as cold as possible, like a heartless bitch. It was all part of the plan.

_I'm not trying to justify my self, I know very well that there isn't any excuse for what I'm about to do. I just want you to know that some recent events have led me to take the decision of leaving. I don't deserve you or my daughter. I know the pain you must be feeling, I feel it, but I have to go._

_Please leave me alone and don't come looking for me, ever. Someday I might come back, for my daughter, because I do want her. I lover her, do not ever dare to put her against me, she's also mine and never forget that. _

_Were taught all whole lives, _**they come first**_, they will always come first no matter what and two Damphirs simply don't have a future. We never had a future. But please don't hate me, if you can do one thing is forgive me._

_Rose_

I finished the letter and felt… almost relieved that he wouldn't decide to come after me. I was hoping he wouldn't. Because if he saw me ever again then he'd realize what a big lie I was telling him in this letter. I was sure that with just one look at my face and he'd see all the love I felt for him. I also hoped that it wouldn't matter to him the fact that the letter was so short.

But I knew that I still needed to write one last letter before going. I needed to take any precautions I could for the future, if something happened to Dimitri there was a chance he could be back. So I decided that writing this would be the best, this way someone would be able to do something about it. This letter was supposed to be a secret and nobody would know shit about it except me and whoever I sent it. I tore another sheet of paper and began writing. When I was done with the letter that might someday save me or Dimitri if something happened to us, I put it into an envelope and put Adrians's name on it.

I got all my letters together so fast when I heard the knock on the door that I almost knocked over the glass of water in front of me. That was supposed to be Tasha, she couldn't know about any of this, she'd be the first one to go and tell Dimitri about my plans.

So I tried wiping my tears away and hid the letters beneath the cushions of the sofa. I was hoping she wouldn't find them, but what she would be doing looking for stuff over there.

So I went to open the door and the first thing she did was give me hug. It felt so good to get a hug like that, knowing that Dimitri wasn't the only one to make me feel protected. Up until now I hadn't realized how much I wished for some other interactions besides my daughter and Dimitri. I had been talking on the phone with Viktoria, Adrian and Lissa, even my parents. All of them wanting to know how the baby was if she was getting enough sleep and all that, but not about me. They must have thought that I would be ok by my self with Kat and I was, sometimes, when I wasn't thinking about what I had to do.

**I'm going to apologize all over again because I see that you are not taking things very well. This story won't change course, its too late for that. So, please, just go along and you'll find out why I'm so interested in you reading it. It is sad, that much I admit, maybe almost as painful to read as Spirit Bound, and you'll definately want to slap some characters, but I am excited about all of this. Not to mention the fact that this kind of work will prepare you for when i post my own story, not about R&D, but one with my own characters in it. I write with tragedy and irony. Sorry.**

**Another things is the fact that many of you want Dimitri not to buy rose's words or actions and see through all of that, guess what? Not gonna happen. The whole point of this is that you have to see how blinded by love and happiness he is right now. I mean, the guy just scored a daughter and is finally living with the love of his life, wouldnt you also kind of give it for granted? I know that in the books Dimitri is always able to tell when Rose is lying or something, it still kind of aplies here, just no like before because I believe he's thinking its just the hormones ro something. **

**anyhow, just roll with it right now. This story is not nearly done and is obvious that i wouldnt leave you like this. Just... I dont know, keep reading and reviewing. Remember that by reviewing you tell me what you think and sometimes give me ideas. I want all of you to review because I saw some stories with twenty somehting chapters and they have like four or five hundred reviews! I'm kind of jealous, I barely have 289.**


	32. Chapter 32

"Rose" She began when we were finally sitting side to side on the sofa. It felt good to have her here, worrying about me. "You know you can talk to me about anything right?" I smiled a little, knowing how much she sounded like Dimitri.

"I know Tasha, I know" I said.

"Then tell me what's wrong, is everything good between you and Dimka?" I let out a hysterical laugh, I didn't think that she'd come up with that conclusion. _Everything was great between us, just great, oh well. Except the part where I'm getting my self prepared to leave him and my daughter. Does that sound a little too bad?_

"Everything is fine with him, in fact he does his best to spend more time with us" I said, it wasn't a lie because he was really trying to spend as much time with us as he could. He was even losing some hours of sleep because he worked too late or because the baby kept us awake.

"Then what is wrong? Because don't try to deny that you were crying" I nodded.

"Yes, is just that… I feel so overwhelmed. I guess that everything has happened so fast, just a couple of weeks ago I was pregnant and happy going to Lissa's wedding and next thing I know, my baby is born. Dimitri and I don't have much time to ourselves anymore and… well I miss him." It wasn't a complete lie because I did miss him, very much.

Tasha relaxed a little.

"That's understandable, have you talked to him about this?" Ugh, did she have to say that?

"No, is nothing really. I guess I'm just still a little sad about having to share him with the Academy. I was used to have him only for me" I forced a small smile and even though she didn't seem to really buy it, she nodded.

"I guess. But you can call me whenever you feel like you need a friend, ok?" I nodded, unable to form any words because of the lump that formed in my throat. I gave her a hug and felt that overwhelming sense of security. Maybe if I told her… not. That wasn't possible.

We pulled away and I tried changing the subject, like talking about shopping. I hated shopping but she seemed to love it and asked me to go with her. I was about to say no but the thought better about it, it would be good for me to go out. So I nodded and went upstairs to change.

I put on my best pair of skinny jeans, they looked so good on me now, I was grateful that I'd returned to my old size and that I still had all of my clothes. I looked for a t-shirt and put the first on. I really needed to go shopping. I went to Kat's room and had to wake her up when I changed her and put on her one of the many dresses that she had. She had to wear tights and a sweater because it was cold outside, and when she was finally ready she looked so cute and small with the hat, gloves and small shoes.

I kissed her forehead and went downstairs to give her to Tasha so I could get the baby's bag ready without having to worry about leaving Kat alone for too long.

"She's beautiful" Tasha said dreamily, the baby gripped her finger tightly and I knew that Kat liked Tasha instantly. Because when she didn't like somebody she'd start trashing on his or her arms wanting to go back to daddy, not me. Dimitri was like her private pacifier and she calmed down instantly, as if nothing had happened. We discovered that when Adrian held her for the first time.

She still didn't like him, even when he used his charming smiles and winks. Kat seemed horrified and Dimitri delighted knowing that our daughter didn't like Adrian as much as Viktoria did. Once Dimitri had our daughter on his arms Adrian turned to Viktoria, asking her why the baby didn't like him.

"Is ok Adrian, she'll come around" Viktoria tried to console him, with a small smile on her face. I winked at her.

"I just don't understand why doesn't like me. You like me don't you?" He asked teasingly and Viktoria nodded then kissed him.

Beside me Dimitri had begun to murmur in Russian again, I wasn't sure what he was saying, or to whom but it was funny knowing that everything was back to normal.

I woke up from my little flash back and realized that I had been standing like an idiot behind Tasha who was sitting on the sofa talking to my baby. I went upstairs and prepared everything in the bag. I needed toys, diapers, clothes for the baby, Dimitri's replacement as pacifier, hat blankets, burp clothes and I could go on and on. Sometimes it was exhausting but then I'd remember that this would be nothing compared to what I'd have to do at Russia in a couple of weeks.

I went downstairs and took the stroller out of the closet in the hallway, I put the bag behind it and went to the living room.

"We're ready" I said, a little too cheerful.

"Great"

We walked outside, where all of the guardians patrolling the house were. I had completely forgotten about them, I never thought of maybe inviting them in when they had time. I usually didn't talk to them, sometimes I did, but then those times I didn't exactly talked to them… They probably didn't recall that. How rude I was being, acting like a goddamn spoiled Moroi. So when one of them helped me load the stroller inside the big SUV that Tasha had used to some I gave him the kiss to the house.

"Here, you and whoever is on break can go inside and eat something. I'm not a great cook but there should be something from last night's dinner that Dimitri prepared." He seemed a little shocked but nodded.

"Thank you Guardian Hathaway." I sighed, I hadn't been called that in… well never. That I remembered because after finishing school I didn't become a Guardian.

We got in the SUV and Tasha's only guardian drove away. He seemed very tense, I would be too if I was the only one in charge of a royal Moroi. I thought that things had changed for Tasha and that now she would have more than one guardian but apparently I was wrong.

Kat had fallen asleep again and she was on Tasha's arms.

"I thought that you'd have more than one guardian now, what happen?" I asked her.

"Oh, that." She glanced at the Guardian and he met her eyes in the rearview mirror. "Well I thought that I would be much comfortable with only him. You see, I've been training with him and I am suitable fighter. Better than I was before." She smiled proudly.

"Good for you. But would you like to come over some other day, when Dimitri is free, and train with us? I have to go back to training with him anyways. I'm sure Dimitri would love to teach you" It was more like bait for her to come over more often and Dimitri wouldn't be alone. If those two bonded more maybe they had chance together when I was gone.

"I don't know… well I would really love that" She said and her smile broadened, her scar was still visible but it made her look so beautiful. Sometimes I was jealous of her.

"Great," Then I turned to the guardian. "Excuse me, what's your name?" He looked at me through the rearview mirror.

"Alessandro Demarco" He said and I noticed his Italian accent. I gaped at him a second before returning back to normal. He looked so young, well about Tasha's age, maybe a little older.

He had blond hair, blue eyes and a severe expression. For the outline of his body I could see that he was maybe a little shorter than Dimitri. And for the fact that he only said that I realized that he wasn't a man of many words.

"I would like you to meet Dimitri, I'm sure you and him will be friends" Beside me Tasha giggled.

Alessandro looked at me questioningly, maybe like I was crazy but didn't say anything else.

"Oh, Rose, I almost forgot your awesome sense of humor." We both laughed and out of the corner of my eyes I saw Alessandro looking at us like we were crazy.

Tasha and I kept on talking about everything. She was so nice to me and seemed to have fallen in love with Kathryn.

I could picture her raising my daughter, if I had choose some that would be better for Dimitri, much better than my messed up self, was Tasha. She was so sweet and had that maternal instinct that I didn't have. I just hoped that she was still in love with Dimitri enough to accept staying with him.

When we arrived at the mall Alessandro seemed ready for some action. He practically leaped out of the car and opened the door for us. We got out and he took out the stroller, murmuring something in what I was guessing was Italian. I didn't know any Spanish, much less Italian. But I was guessing he was complaining about playing nanny.

"You are not being a nanny" I told him as Tasha placed the baby on the stroller and put on her seatbelt.

Alessandro looked up to me startled and swore.

"_Merda_"(Shit) I did know what that meant "I didn't know you spoke Italian, my apologies" I laughed.

"I don't, but Dimitri speaks Russian and I don't, which is why I learned to read body language and sometimes even read minds." I said proudly, he seemed confused but after a second there was some tugging at the corner of his lips and I guessed he was smiling.

"You should be careful around her Alessandro," Tasha warned him teasingly. "She's Rose Hathaway," For a second there was nothing, then a flicker of recognition and his eyes widened. He looked at me up and down, then at the baby and back at me.

"The Rose Hathaway? But then… the baby." He seemed confused.

I didn't want to spend the rest of the day on the parking lot explaining my self to him so I gestured for him to follow as we walked into the mall.

He followed but was on guardian mode to keep asking questions. I wasn't, I trusted my gut to tell me whenever there was a Strigoi nearby. So I enjoyed my self as we walked around the mall, looking for clothes. I led Tasha to one of my favorite ones and showed her the many options for dresses and formal clothing. She bought most of the store that she liked and I had a déjà vu feeling from when I cam here with Lissa.

So many things happened ever since. Last time I came I was only worrying about finding a dress that could fit me when I was still pregnant and now I was worrying about leaving Dimitri and my daughter in the right hands. Life was so complicated.

Alessandro was in charge of the stroller and he seemed a little bit uncomfortable, I suppressed a laugh when he turned and caught me staring at him with a smirk on my face.

It was shortly after we finished shopping at the fourth store that I noticed my phone ringing, I already had one missing call and it was Dimitri. I picked up.

"Dimitri, are you all right?" I asked, imagining the worst. He had to be fine.

He chuckled, "I'm fine, just wondering where you were" Damn I forgot that he was coming home early today.

"I'm at the mall, with Tasha" I said.

"Really? Why didn't you guys wait for me to get home, we could have gone together. I'd really like to see Tasha" He sounded happy.

"I forgot you were coming home early, why don't you come? We just got here about an hour ago and we're not nearly done." I would be delighted if he did, because after all, I wanted to spend as much time with him as I could.

"I'm on my way. But I'm surprised that you finally noticed the other guardians outside." He teased and I rolled my eyes as I searched through a stack of clothes.

"I'm sorry if I didn't before but I… haven't been paying much attention to anything but Kat" I replied with a small sad smile.

"I know," He laughed again and I felt a pang of guilt knowing that in a couple of days he wouldn't laugh like that anymore. I took a deep breath to calm my self. "Well I'll see you there in fifteen minutes, bye Roza"

"Bye"

We hung up and I turned my attention back to Tasha who had been waiting patiently for me to finish talking to Dimitri. She was holding a dress that looked amazing. It was midnight blue and it had a corset.

"This would look awesome on you Tasha, why don't you go ahead and try it on?" She shook her head.

"No, this is not for me, is for you. So let's see how it looks on you first" I was about to protest, because soon I wouldn't need dresses so there was no point in buying something I wouldn't use, it would be a waste of money.

But I sighed and did as she told me. I walked into the fitting room and stripped naked, well only wearing underwear and bra, and tried the dress. Even before I looked at my self in the mirror I already knew how I looked. Awful. This dress was so not my type, even though it looked good, it made me look… I don't know weird. I hated it.

The bodice seemed to be made for someone skinnier, less… voluptuous. It only made me feel like a big sister trying to fit on my younger sister's clothes. But it mostly showed the fact that I was too short for this dress. The hem reached past my knees, when it was obvious it should be above the knees. When I went out to show it to Tasha she also wrinkled her nose.

"I look like… I don't know. A bad version of snow white" I was so relieved to know that I wouldn't be buying it, but for some reason I knew that I would miss girls night out with Tasha or Lissa.

"It doesn't fit as I thought it would." Then she perked up. "Let's go looking for more." She stood up but I caught her arm and stopped her.

"No, you made me get into this thing and now its your turn. So wait here till I get the thing off. I'm sure it will fit you better than me." She smiled and nodded.

"Fine, your right. I didn't want to admit it but pay back is a bitch." She stuck out her tongue at me and we both giggled.

But before entering the fitting room I looked around and spotted Alessandro sitting on a bench with the baby and at the same time scanning the place for Strigoi.

I changed into my clothes and outside I handed Tasha the dress. She walked into the fitting room and I waited for her outside. I hadn't been paying attention to anything as I searched through the stacks of clothes that had been hanging there and was caught off guard when I was grabbed from behind and pinned against the wall. Strong arms around me and keeping me in place.

I was about to fight back, that was my first instinct, without looking up to see who it was. Knowing that it must be a human or maybe Alessandro playing with me but a moment before I kicked or did something, I smelled his aftershave and inhaled deeply. He leaned down and nibbled my ear, making me shiver.

I instantly wrapped my arms around his neck to bring him closer than he already was. He gripped my hips and pressed himself closer to me. In that instant, time seemed to stop and everything disappeared. It was as if it was just me and Dimitri, no one else.

A moan escaped his mouth when my hand traveled all the way down to the hem of his pants and then a growl when I slid it up to his chest.

"Dimitri…" Suddenly I had a sense of déjà vu, from that time were at the park in Russia and we were making out where we could have been easily spotted. It felt good to be able to be reckless again. I didn't want to stop but things could get ruined easily, if Tasha saw us… well I had a plan and I didn't want to make things harder for him or me, or Tasha.

"Roza" My name being whispered in my ear by him felt like a soft caress to my very core and I was about to let go when I realized that Tasha was about to come out.

I pushed him away. He seemed surprised and hurt at the same time. I ran a hand through my hair to smooth it a little bit so nobody would realize that I'd been making out with him. I was about to explain things when Tasha came out murmuring to herself. She looked up and smiled knowingly at me a sec later, seeing me and Dimitri all worked up.

"I see that you guys were having fun" Dimitri would have smiled or laughed at something like that, I would have too if it hadn't been for the shock we were in.

I mean, Tasha looked stunning, beautiful… we were speechless. The corset clung to her body like a second skin, making her look skinnier but… I don't know. Moroi woman were already skinny and didn't have much to show in the upper part, but Tasha… well. Tasha seemed to have gotten bigger boobs just by putting that dress on. A slimmer waist but… wow. She looked like a supermodel, someone who you would see on TV, with her long dark hair hanging loosely around her shoulders and the scar on her face made her somehow look like a goddess, only she could look beautiful with a scar.

Then her expression changed, it became more amused.

"Oh. You should really close you mouths if you don't want to swallow a fly" She said and I close mine. I hadn't even realized that I was gaping.

"Tasha you look…"

"Beautiful" Dimitri finished for me and we turned to him. He seemed to have woken up from the dreamy state he had been when he saw Tasha and then his face reddened with embarrassment a little. So did Tasha's.

I felt like I should be celebrating for being able to get a reaction out of Dimitri like that for just seeing Tasha, but I couldn't. I couldn't because even though I knew this was for the best, I felt a pang of jealousy.

I shook it away and forced a smile.

"You should totally buy it" I said and she seemed almost relieved to see that I didn't mind.

She went back in to change her clothes and I sat on a chair to wait for her. Dimitri came and sat next to me, his nearness making me nervous, wanting to inch closer but at the same time pull away.

He looked at me. "Is there something wrong Roza?" I looked at him as if he was crazy.

"Of course not! There's nothing wrong." Everything was wrong and secretly I kept hoping that he'd realize that and would ask me more questions but instead he smiled and nodded.

"Good," then, after Tasha changed back into her own clothes, we walked out the fitter room and I looked around till I spotted Alessandro. He had apparently got tired of sitting down where he'd been because he was now standing up, pacing back and forth with the stroller. As we got closer I realized why, Kat was crying and he was doing a bad job at calming her down.

"I was about to ask about her but apparently that's not necessary" Dimitri gave a look to Alessandro before picking up Kat and giving her a kiss on the forehead. Almost instantly she calmed down and Alessandro seemed a little exasperated because he hadn't been able to do it.

"Don't feel bad Alessandro, I'm sure that she likes you, you just don't get her" I told him and Dimitri arched an eyebrow at me.

"Oh yes, you guys don't know each other" I was so stupid. "My love, this is Alessandro Demarco, Alessandro this is my fiancé Dimitri Belikov" They shook hands and nodded at each other.

"I'm sorry but I have to ask this, were you… at the attack of St. Vladimir's?" Of course he knew about that.

"Yes, he was and got his ass kicked, but he was also a badass in be-" I was cut of by Dimitri when he put a hand over my mouth. Tasha giggled.

"I-I think he's got the picture" Dimitri murmured and Alessandro looked away, unable to look me in the eyes.

"Maybe not as clear but ok"

We walked around the mall, Alessandro with the stroller and Dimitri holding the baby. Tasha and I were walking side by side, talking and laughing. It was such a relief to have someone to talk to even if it meant that soon I was going to be gone.

It wasn't long after that that I spotted a store with everything that I'd been looking for. It had the cutest clothes for a girl my age and I almost ran to it. It didn't matter that I probably wouldn't wear most of it but I just had to buy it.

There was a section for men, I dragged Dimitri with me and tried to make him wear a suit but he refused saying that he'd look like a fool. I told him that he would never look like a fool and finally he agreed. He gave the baby to Tasha and tried on the gray suit I chose for him, I was hoping it would be the right size because if not…

Alessandro was amused; I could tell by the way he kept himself away from us and looking around for any danger. Yeah, Dimitri also tried to tell me about that crap, that he was supposed to be looking out for any threats but I told him that I was there for a reason. Even if I hadn't fought in a long time.

"I bet he'll look like a fool" Tasha joked and I gave her my best smile.

"Don't bet on it, you'd be surprised how cute he can look on anything. Just picture him wearing… a dress" she burst out laughing, "a pink one, Cinderella style, all puffy and…" I shut up because Dimitri came out and boy did he look hot, even Tasha stopped laughing.

"I was so wrong when I said I'd look like a fool. I look like a complete idiot." Dimitri announced looking down at himself and then at us.

"You look… hot!" I said, leaping to my feet and standing in front of him.

The suit was a little tight, it was bulged right where I knew it would embarrass him if he could see himself and I was pretty sure he was the reason why one woman dropped whatever she was holding a sec ago. The suit made him look so business like and all, his hair was tied back so I stood on my toes and loosed his hair so it would hang lose around his shoulders.

"Roza, can I please take this off now?" He pleaded, arching an eyebrow.

I was rather disappointed for not being able to get it for him but I nodded.

"Fine, go take it off but don't some whining when you realize how hot you looked on that suit." He rolled his eyes, a gesture that was kind of weird on him, and turned back. I slapped his butt, making a smacking sound that if I was correct must have hurt. He turned to me, arching his eyebrow again and bursting out laughing.

Tasha was also laughing, very much.

We left the store, me very sad for not convincing Dimitri about buying the suit but at the same time happy for all the stuff that I bought. I was pretty sure that the dress I chose would leave any man drooling, though I only cared about Dimitri's drool.

"Why would I ever wear such… _thing?" _He said like it was something bad.

"I don't know, but you looked hot, admit it" He shook his head.

"I looked like a complete idiot" He replied.

"Well, I say that you looked pretty good, which is why I got this picture" Tasha showed us her cell phone with a picture of Dimitri standing there, wearing the suit, and looking just as good-looking as he was in person. Then she switched pictures and Dimitri was walking away, the exact same moment my hand collided with his butt.

"Oh I have to get that picture" I took out my cell. "Send it to me" I begged. She nodded and almost at the same time Dimitri reached for her phone. I reacted faster than him and snatched it away from Tasha so Dimitri wouldn't take it. "Not so fast comrade" He seemed surprised. "Another move and I send it to all of her contacts" His eyes widened and stopped.

"Roza" He looked at me with big puppy eyes that I couldn't resist, it distracted me, but not enough to not block his hand when he tried to take it from me.

I send both pictures to my self and then gave it to him.

"Very funny Roza, very funny" He erased the ones from Tasha's cell and then gave it to her."Good job Tasha, now she will have that" Dimitri half joked.

"I'm really sorry but it was just so funny." Tasha was so not apologizing.

The rest of the time we spend it at the court food, eating and talking. I arranged everything so Dimitri and Tasha would sit next to each other. He didn't seem to mind because he chatted with her so happily, as if they were a couple and it bothered me surprisingly. I tried very much to not care, because I was going to be leaving soon, and I just couldn't keep hurting him.

So I made small talk, avoided butting into their conversations, and concentrated on my food. He didn't seem to mind but I was very aware of his arm on my waist, never letting me go. I ignored him, and only paid attention to my daughter who kept on wailing.

So when Dimitri announced that it was time to leave because it would be dark outside soon I was so relieved. The time that I'd been watching him with her made me feel so… helpless. I was also so jealous that soon she'd have him for her, that I wouldn't be there anymore and he'd be happier with Tasha because then not many would have a problem with their relationship like they'd had with me.

He might as well become her guardian sometime in the future, get married and she'd probably end up raising my own daughter. I wished I could hate her or resent her, any other feeling that wasn't appreciation for what she would be doing for me soon, but I couldn't. She had always been too nice and I really liked her, and now that she was going to be taking care of loved ones I loved her even more.

So the next couple of days were pretty much the same, I took care of my daughter at home, prepared my self whatever food I was able to and waited for Dimitri to get home. Whenever he was home we'd fool around on the couch and watch really cheesy movies. He couldn't get his hands off me and tonight, because I only had two more days with him and my daughter I decided to go all the way, it had been almost a month since our baby had been born, everything was going to be ok, and everything had to look normal between us. As if I was the happiest person on earth with Dimitri and my daughter.

I felt worse than a traitor by doing this to him, the last couple of weeks, my last couple of weeks with him, had been like a martyr. It hurt me every time I saw him, every time we touched, everything hurt. Because I knew that he would never forgive me, the note it self would make him hate me.

So I felt like a complete bitch when we were on the bed.

"Roza… you are so beautiful" We were both laying on the bed, him hovering over my naked body, and me bracing his body closer to mine because I felt like I needed him more than ever. I wanted him to be as closer to me as possible because soon there wouldn't be an: us anymore. It would only be him and me, completed separated and never together again.

"Dimitri don't try to console me, I know that my body doesn't look nearly good as it used to be." I whispered, nibbling his earlobe and wrapping my arms around his neck. He pushed me back on the bed and pinned my arms above my head. My legs were still beneath his so I couldn't move and I didn't stop my self from giggling when he started kissing me from my belly all the way up to my neck, jaw and lips.

His kisses were soft, awesome and gentle, like he was always with me but my kisses were very fierce, desperate and needy. Because I knew that this would probably be my last time with him, the last time we'd become one and he'd be in love with me.

"Roza, stop saying that, I love you" He crushed his lips to mine after a second that I stared at him, not being able to say anything because of the lump that had formed in my throat. His kiss was fierce and desperate, as if he'd realized what I was planning to do and was begging me to not do it, to stay with him. Unconsciously of course but that's how I felt.

"Dimitri…" I was about to tell him everything because I felt like it wasn't fair, I couldn't take it anymore, but he didn't let me finish and when he was touching me the way he was: his hand running up and down my legs, the other one on my belly and going down.

Everything was so overwhelming, his touch was driving me crazy and I shut up.

The feeling of him inside of me, us together for one last time, made something that was supposed to be amazing and magnificent, be bittersweet and melancholic. Because even though my mind couldn't stop thinking about him inside of me and making my head spin around, the thought and pain of what I was supposed to do tomorrow made me feel so goddamn miserable.

I dig my nails into his back and moaned his name when I exploded in ecstasy and my world was turned upside down. He shouted my name a sec after and I just melted. But because I was very much aware of my last chance with him I felt the need of having the best time ever with him.

As soon as I could, I rolled from beneath him and placed my self on top. He grinned and gripped my hips when I rubbed my self against him, the feel of him fully aroused because of me made me feel so guilty but at the same time excited.

"You look very good in this position Mr. Belikov. I might consider keeping you right here the whole time" He arched an eyebrow.

"Really?" I leaned down and kissed his lips.

"Yes, I like you this way and I want you" I stopped my self an inch away from his face and instead of kissing him I slid my hand down his chest, almost all the way down. I did that a couple of times, getting my award when listening to him lusting after me.

He flipped us over and next thing I knew, we were back to dying from pleasure.

**Thanks for all the reviews! I swear that thiis the chapter with most reviews! I counted about fifteen, maybe more. Because of that I'm putting another chapter so soon. Keep up the reviews and I'll update like this.  
**

**I wanted to point out to RDtheperfectcouple the fact that I can't change anything anymore. I will continue writing this story just like I've planned. I hope I'm not dissapointing you as much as you say I am. Just keep reading, I'll make it worth the while.**

**Keep reviewing!**

**I love you!  
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	33. Chapter 33

The next morning when I woke up, I touched the side of the bed where Dimitri was last night and it was empty. I opened one eye and looked around for any sign of him, but then I realized that today he was supposed to leave early. I rolled over onto my back and stared at the ceiling for a long time. I was tangled in the sheets that covered my naked body and it took me a while to finally get dressed, when I did the first thing in my mind was my daughter.

So I walked into her room and gazed at her for as long as I could. Her sleeping form seemed so tranquil. She looked so much like me and yet so much like Dimitri. There were details and details that I still had to take care of, but I couldn't tear my self from her. This was my last chance to be with her.

But I reminded my self that I wanted to protect her, that my duty was to protect her and Dimitri because even if I didn't really believe that Strigoi could come after him, I did believe that Tatiana would get us in jail and we'd never see our daughter again. I had to remind my self that at least one of us would get to be with Kathryn. She wouldn't have to grow up alone at the academy thinking that she was all alone because she'd have Dimitri and Tasha.

Kathryn didn't wake up, anything, so I walked out the room and went to mine. I placed my suitcases on the bed and opened them, then I took all of my clothes from the dresser and closet. I folded my clothes and put them in the suitcases, everything that was mine. Every piece of clothing that was placed in the suitcases I felt like I was stabbing my self with a knife, like I was being cut into tiny pieces and would bleed to death at any minute.

But nothing happened and I finished packing. Kathryn was still asleep, which gave me time to load the luggage into one of the hummers that was available for me. Dimitri had said that it made him uncomfortable to know that he hadn't paid for it and of it but was ok with it because it made us able to have transport if something happened to the baby or me. But in this case it was going to help me with my getaway.

I opened the door and saw the guardian from the other day walking up the steps and when he saw me he stopped.

"Guardian Hathaway, Princess Dragomir is on her way in, do we let her come in?" He asked.

"Shit" This was so inconvenient. Why did she have to choose to come right now and not some other day? I knew she'd be back from her honeymoon by now but I just didn't expect her to come right away.

"Are you and Guardian Belikov going somewhere? He didn't tell me anything" I looked at him, at loss of words.

"I-" should I say yes so he won't tell anything? "No, its just me but please get all the suitcases into the hummer before Lissa gets here and don't mention anything to her." He nodded and began carrying the suitcases. In two minutes everything was inside and Lissa coming in.

"Oh my God Rose! I have the best news ever!" she sounded so excited that I had to force a smile. We sat down and began talking about her honeymoon; thank god she left out the details, but I realized how different her life had become from mine.

"But that's not it, you know, I'm… pregnant!" It took me a couple of secs to realize what she said and then I gasped.

"You what?" I shrieked, already getting excited. I totally hadn't seen it coming through the bond, since a while ago I'd realized that I couldn't get many clear feelings anymore. I had to really concentrate to get into her head and right now I didn't have to because her face was so easy to read.

"I just found out last week, it was so shocking that Christian practically had to drag me out of the bathroom when I saw the test. He's so excited and was actually heading to the Academy to tell Tasha and the others. Is Dimitri there?" I nodded.

"Yes, he won't be back till probably after midnight." I said a little too nervously. Then the baby began crying, I could hear her because of the little walki-talkie thingy, it was like she could hear whenever I mentioned her Father.

"I'll be right back" I stood up and went upstairs to get my daughter.

When I came back, Lissa was on the phone but she hung up when she saw me coming with the baby. She extended her hands and I gave Kathryn to her. She looked so excited just by holding her, I felt that way whenever I had her near me. But now I would never see her again, or at least not in a couple of years.

"She gets prettier and prettier," Lissa said smiling and looking up at me.

"Yes, and Dimitri is totally in love with her. He even changes her diapers." We giggled because it was rather funny the fact that he didn't complain about that.

"I can't imagine Christian doing that."

"Yeah he probably won't" I answered.

"Oh I almost forgot, I talked to Christian and he said that Dimitri will be home by tomorrow morning and not tonight" I nodded.

"Oh" Well, how the hell was I supposed to leave if Dimitri wouldn't be here to take care of Kathryn? I needed someone to be here when I left because I couldn't just let Kathryn here by herself and Lissa… well… maybe she could help.

I had a plane to catch in an hour and time was running out for me. I needed to leave already but I didn't want Lissa to be here when Dimitri realized what I'd been doing. Gosh.

"Rose, is there something wrong with you? You seem… depressed." Then her eyes widened and for a sec there I thought she'd figured it out. "You're not taking darkness from me are you?" She looked at me oddly, examining my aura.

"I'm totally fine Lissa, just kind of freaked out, because you don't realize that your friend is pregnant every day!" I faked enthusiasm and gave her a hug, careful with my daughter.

"Oh, ok, but if there's anything wrong do you promise to tell me?" Why did everyone have to ask me that? I was going to have to lie to them because I couldn't tell her the truth.

"Yes, Lissa I promise you" I rolled my eyes to add a dramatic effect.

"Ok"

She didn't look convinced but let it go.

"Lissa, I have to go get something at the store. Could you stay with the baby for a while?" I hoped that I didn't sound as desperate as I really was.

"Yeah, just tell me where is her stuff and I'll be good" she sounded so sincere and cheery that I had to smile.

"Thank you so much, I'll go get my handbag and then leave" I ran upstairs after she nodded.

When I went into our room I took the letter out of my handbag and left it on the bed side table. He'd find it there easily when I was gone, it was easy to tell that it was for him, mainly because I also left the engagement ring on the note. I kissed it before leaving it there and it was like taking out another part of my heart. This was like sealing the deal, making sure he wouldn't come after me because he'd know that I was breaking up with him. It was just in case he didn't believe the letter.

But I also saw the letter with the truth and I felt like I couldn't get rid of it, so I took a picture of me that was on the bedside table and placed the letter in the back, then I closed it again and hoped that he wouldn't get rid of that picture but keep it. Someday he might also find out the truth and I just hoped that it wasn't too early nor too late.

I walked back downstairs and waved goodbye to Lissa. Outside one of the guardians already had the hummer parked for me. I climbed in and the guardian drove away, and it hurt. It hurt me so much to leave him and my daughter. I didn't even have the chance to kiss Kathryn goodbye because she had been with Lissa.

But I knew it was for the best, I was going to make all of this work out in their favor. Even though I knew that in no time Dimitri would get home and he'd be broken hearted and probably furious for what I was doing to him and I felt even worse. I touched the place where my ring had been and longed to have it back. The ring it self meant so much to me but nothing compared to what his proposal did. I had given for granted the fact that I would marry him and we'd be a happy family.

But now it wouldn't happen, ever, because I broke his heart.

When we were close to the airport my cell rang but before answering I checked the caller ID, it was a private number so it couldn't be Dimitri and I answered.

"Hello?"

"Rosemarie, when you arrive in Russia a guardian named Mikhail will pick you up and get you to the headquarters over there where you will start your training as soon as possible." Tatiana's voice was stern and sweet at the same time, she sounded so pleased.

"Good after noon to you too, Tatiana, so pleased to hear your voice so soon" I said sarcastically.

"This is no time to play your little games, Rosemarie. Please be serious about this matter because after you start training again you'll have to be directing the other guardians throughout cities over there and killing as many Strigoi as you can." Well, wasn't she a great friend?

"Fine, I'll do it. But what about money? I'm not made of stone and I need food and money if I'm going to be risking my life." It was kind of rude to mention money so suddenly but I needed to know if I was going to at least get paid.

"Yes, you salary will be one of the highest, along with Dimitri's when he accepts the job here at court. I have it all planned." So meticulous.

"And what exactly is your plan?" I needed to know because I knew that Dimitri wouldn't be so easy to manipulate.

"Lissa will hear about that vacant position and tell Dimitri about it because I'm sure he'll realize that he won't be able to raise her over there alone and with the generous offer of money he will accept." She sounded so sure of herself that I almost believed her but I knew him better and still had my doubts.

"Very well Tatiana, just make sure he and Kathryn are all right and I will be fighting Strigoi, hell I would even worship you. But hear me out, if something, anything, happens to Dimitri, my daughter or Adrian and Viktoria I will comeback and take down your whole army of guardians by my self." She snorted. "You haven't' seen me or Dimitri fight but he trained me well and I'm more than capable of killing each one of them, and then you." It was a threat, I was threatening the Queen but I didn't care because I would do that and more of I had to, Dimitri and my daughter came first.

That was why I was doing this, for them.

"I made you a promise, didn't I?" She was in full Queen Bitch mode now but I didn't care.

"Yes, but I was just telling you what I would do for them. So don't even try to trick me. Also, don't send Dimitri on dangerous missions. Some attack happens and he directs the squad from a safe place, do not dare to put his life in risk because he's the only one Kathryn has." I had to make sure he'd be ok.

"As you wish, but like you said, he's not easy to manipulate." Her goddamned voice infuriated me and I snapped.

"Do not throw my own words at me Tatiana!" I shrieked and for a second I saw the guardian's eyes flickered to me and then back to the road. "I'm doing you a favor here and you are doing me another one, so stop the childishness of it and tell me what else do you want me to do when I get there" I didn't mention where this time, afraid that the guardian was paying attention to my conversation.

"Perfect, I have much better things to do than have a conversation where manners are none existent." Ha! As if she was behaving so maturely. "The money will be deposited into an account with your name and you will be able to get it at any moment. Don't worry about anything else because I will take care of it. Bye and take care" the line went dead.

"Tatiana! Tatiana don't you dare to hang up!" But it was too late, she'd already hung up and I was left with only sorrow, pain and anger. "Goddammit!" I put the phone back into my purse and ran a hand through my hair.

I had the worst feeling in my gut, like the anger and all of the bad feelings were bottled there and unable to come out. I was about to say something to the guardian but a lump had formed in my throat and I had to place my hand over my mouth to keep the sobs in line. However, the tears rolled down my cheeks so easily that I wasn't able to hold them back any longer.

"Are you ok Guardian Hathaway, do you want me to go back to the house?" I looked up.

"No, don't. Please just keep driving" I hadn't realized we were close already and my heart pounded so hard against my chest that I thought I was going to have a heart attack. I wished.

Minutes later I was giving the lady my passport and ticket to aboard the plane, she gave them back to me with a friendly smile and sparkling eyes. She wasn't much older than me and looked so happy. I almost burst into tears at the sight of such a happy girl. But I didn't, I snatched the papers from her and kept on walking to the gates. I needed to get there as soon as possible because if not I would die or simply run back to the car and go back to my heart, my love.

So I walked faster and found my seat. I sat there and gazed out the window, waiting for the plane to leave and trying to ignore the awful headache I was having. Because even though I was wearing the ring that kept the ghosts away, that didnt mean that they wouldnt try to reach me.

**Ok, so I hope you like this chapter. Rose has finally left Dimitri and Kat. I know that it might be a little short and all but if you review a lot, (more than nine like in the previews chapter and about fifteen like chapter 31), then I will update tomorrow morning. If you dont give me that many reviews, then I wont update in a while. I need to know if you like the story.**

**Please, if you have a hotmail, add me to your list of friends and we'll chat about the story and what i want to do. .com**

**Love you!**


	34. Chapter 34

**APOV**

When we got back to the Academy my first thought was Viktoria, I wanted to be with her and try to console her but I knew better than that. Things had changed over here after what happened with Dimitri and Rose. Students were forbidden to keep a relationship with staff or guests, which totally sucked, and I didn't want to get her spelled. So I said bye to her even though inside I wanted to go with her.

"I'll visit your dreams" I promised her, in a whisper when it was time for us to go to our rooms. She nodded but it hurt me to see her so sad, she had been crying and worried about Rose when we got to her house and Lissa told us that she was missing.

We all thought the worst but when Dimitri read the letter and showed it to us it was so much worse. Because I never thought that she'd do such a thing and neither had Viktoria, she considered Rose a sister and knowing that she was able to do such a thing simply hurt her so much.

"Yes, please" she answered and then walked away.

I went to my room and went to bed from there, I was so tired. The news of what Rose had done wore me out and it made worry about her because she was so not like that. I knew her well enough to know that she did love Dimitri and wouldn't be able to do such a thing to him and Kathryn, so why did she do it? Why leave like that? She left a note, didn't even bother to tell us in our faces she was leaving and it hurt Dimitri more than he let it show. His aura was so messed up green, black, grays, but mostly dark.

I didn't understood most of what Rose meant in that letter, only that she was leaving to go on with her life as guardian that she left behind when she chose Dimitri, but why now? That's what worried me the most. What triggered that decision? IT was so confusing, I knew that nobody else thought about that because they'd been busy trying to swallow the news. And I still couldn't believe it, that she would just leave like that. I didn't care what Dimitri thought was the best, leave her alone, I couldn't do that.

I needed answers, a reason, to not let my self resent her for what she did. Because the writing in that peace of paper felt so cold and at the same time emotional, as if she hadn't really wanted to do it. But I had nothing, not even the slightest idea of what was the reason and I refused to believe those words in that letter.

So I fell asleep with the purpose to visit Rose's dreams first, then Viktoria's to let her know anything about Rose. I was sure that if Rose didn't want to tell anyone else about the real reason, she would tell me. We were friends, I wouldn't betray her.

It took me longer than I thought to find her, she was moving, but when I did I tried to be cautious and nor startle her. Her dream seemed to be interesting so I decided that if I let her finish then she wouldn't start shouting at me the moment she saw me.

When I said interesting I didn't mean real awesome, I meant that it was simply too vivid for her. She was running laps, the usual thing she used to do when she was back at school, and I waited till something else would happen. Maybe she'd start fighting Strigoi or something with action, but no, it didn't happen. She was just running laps, one, two and at the third I was about to interfere because I hated the sports channel when out of nowhere Dimitri pops up. For a moment I forgot that this was Rose's dream and Dimitri wouldn't get pissed at me for breaking his rule of not contacting rose, and I hid like a coward behind the bushes.

The sun was shining and I was able to stand here admiring it without hurting me and when I realized that I was hiding I came out again and kept on observing her dream. It was… cheesy.

She was now running with Dimitri by her side, both of them laughing and having a great time, only now did I notice the little girl at the other end of the field. I couldn't see her face clearly, it was blurry, I thought that maybe that was her image if Kathryn as a grown kid and I tried to focus on her but it was impossible. Not even Rose had that big of an imagination to create a solid image of Kathryn. Hell, I wouldn't even be able to do it!

But then Rose and Dimitri stopped, I turned back to them and realized they were done running, now they were laying on the grass, looking up and holding hands like the two lover birds they were and it didn't seem like there would be anything possible to make them separate from each other.

They looked happy.

I got closer, knowing that she wouldn't be able to see me if I didn't wanted her to, curios to know what they were talking about. At first I only heard murmurs but then the words started to make more sense.

"I love you, please never forget that" She said, looking into his eyes.

Dimitri kept on smiling as if he didn't get the part that there was something wrong with what she was saying.

"I love you too Roza," A tear ran down her cheek. But he didn't seem to mind, he kept on looking at her like she was the most beautiful thing in the world.

"I'm sorry, really sorry. Would you ever be able to forgive me?" She asked in a small voice that broke twice and that was all I needed to know that I had been right. She hadn't meant to leave like that, well at least not without a reason because there had to be one. I was about to stop her dream and ask her my self when the scene shifted noticeably. The sun stopped shining and was covered by dark clouds that promised a really bad storm, I looked up and expected to be hit by lightning. But the lightning began a second after the rain. It was a violent flow of water pouring over us and I was grateful that this wasn't real rain; otherwise I would have wasted hundreds of dollars on this expensive shirt and jeans.

But not just the weather changed, Dimitri did too. When I turned my attention back to them they were both standing up, he was looking at Kathryn on the other side of the field and I couldn't see his face clearly. Though I supposed she could because she looked devastated.

"You left" He said in a voice so emotional that for a moment I really thought that I'd made the mistake of bringing both of them here. But I checked the link and knew that this was just Rose's dream.

"I had.."

"You left." He repeated and this time he walked away from her, towards Kathryn. She tried to stop him but he ignored her and kept on going.

"Dimitri! Let me explain please, I…" He turned around and faced her.

"I don't love you anymore." Well, make up your mind dude!

Rose stopped and gazed at him a second before nodding and letting him go. He kept on walking all the way till he reached Kathryn and he held her hand. She looked up and they both smiled, out of nowhere Tasha popped up and took Kathryn's other hand. They looked like a happy family as Dimitri began chasing around Kathryn and Tasha laughed. Kathryn jumped into Tasha's opened arms and Dimitri stopped right in front of them with a big smile on his face. He hugged them both and then kissed Tasha. I heard the loudest thunder hit then and to my surprise it was only raining on the side where Rose and I were standing. She was soaked up while Dimitri and the girls were under a shining sun and green field just yards away.

I wondered if this had anything to do for the reason why she left. But why would she want Dimitri to be with another woman? And I swear that I heard the little girl call Tasha mommy. So weird, but it seemed to hurt and at the same time make Rose happy.

She wiped away the tears with her sleeve but because it was still raining she remained soaked.

That's when I knew it was my cue to step in and stop her suffering, she was still watching Dimitri with her daughter playing the happy family with Tasha. It was like a movie, over and over again they played and kissed and then the little girl called Tasha Mommy. It hurt Rose and yet she didn't look away.

So, with a dismissive wave of my hand I changed everything. Instead of a field we were back to her house, in the living room. It was raining outside, I didn't know why, I hadn't requested that. But I ignored it and placed us face to face on the chairs. She looked really surprised to see me and didn't do anything to cover her annoyance a sec later.

I kept my face serious because anything amused me anymore, this was serious business.

"Why did you leave like that?" I asked her before she could start insulting me.

Her cold glare almost made me flinch but I reminded my self that whatever she did to me wouldn't really hurt.

"That's none of your business, Adrian." She replied.

"It is because it involves Viktoria, do you have any idea what your little tantrum caused Dimitri and her? Or Lissa?" I waited for her answer but the fact that she didn't say anything told me that she probably didn't know, or did but didn't want to admit it. "Did you even think about you daughter?" That was a low punch, I knew it but I needed to keep her close to the edge so she would start talking.

So fast that it startled me, she stood up. "Don't you dare to criticize my reason for doing what I did!" She exploded but I knew that she was still in control of what she was saying, she still needed another nudge.

"You didn't think, did you?" Maybe the cold stare would help me. "Because if you had you wouldn't have left. Do you have any idea in what condition Dimitri is? He didn't show it but I saw his aura and it looked… chopped off, you could say and dark, very dark. There were holes in his aura, holes Rose. That means that he's lost some part of his soul, some part of himself." Rose's anger had faded and now she looked on the verge of tears.

I knew that I was close to make her lose her control and tell me everything.

"I thought you loved him, but you obviously didn't because you were able to leave him and your daughter? What kind of person does that, and without a good reason? As far as I know your mother did it because she thought it was the best for you, she didn't know how to be a mother and your father wasn't with her, so she had an excuse. But you? You don't have any… you were able to leave like he or she didn't mean anything…"She began crying and I stopped, I'd gone a little too far.

"Stop it! You don't know what your talking about, Adrian." Close to the topic.

"Of course I know! You are a cold blooded bitch that…" she cut me off by punching my face. It didn't hurt, it just snapped my head sideways but if it had been in the real world then she would have broken my jaw.

"I'm not a cold blooded bitch, you don't know anything!" She was panting and still crying. I felt so bad for hurting her but I needed to know the truth. I needed Viktoria to be fine, and in my own secret way I also hated seeing Dimitri so down. He looked worse than when Rose was kidnapped and the change happen in matter of minutes.

"Then tell me! Why the hell did you leave like that, don't you think that the letter was a little cliché? Who else does that beside the cowards?" I changed surroundings again and searched my mind for the right time. I found the memory of what happened this afternoon while Dimitri came back down and showed us the letter.

We were still in the living room, Dimitri came down the stairs with a blank look on his face and with the letter in his hands. He didn't look anybody in the eyes, he looked like he was about to pass out.

"Well? Did she leave a note?" I asked first, it was like being in theater with the actors and actresses right in front of you, ignoring you.

"Yes" He answered, his voice completely drained of emotion but restrained.

"Where is she? I was so worried about her" Lissa let out a sigh of relief and smiled a little, but her expression changed as she took a better look at him and a frown appeared on her face.

"There's something wrong, what is it Dimitri" I asked studying his aura that appeared to be darkening with every second that passed.

Dimitri sighed, a morose and melancholic expression descended on him and he walked over to Viktoria, who was holding Kathryn close to her, trying to calm her down. Viktoria looked at him expectantly, doing the same eyebrow thing he did when he was expecting an answer.

"She left, gone. Nothing else to talk about. I need all of you to leave, Kathryn is tired" He took his daughter from Viktoria and then looked around at all of our astonished faces.

Christian, who was beside Lissa, almost gasped.

"What?" Lissa shrieked.

Instead of saying something he handed her the note so she could read whatever Rose wrote on the note. And she quickly read it, her eyes scanned the note and because of the colors of her aura I was able to tell that there was something really wrong. Viktoria moved behind her to take a look and after that I joined and read too. Even without looking at Viktoria, out of the corner of my eyes I saw her aura, changing colors.

Christian was pacing back and forth, like a caged animal, not knowing what to do, because Lissa was upset but he couldn't do anything to make it better. I looked over at Dimitri, who was only looking at his daughter and once or twice he glanced up to us. He seemed to be in the denial phase, or maybe simply numb. He couldn't look away from his daughter, he seemed hypnotized.

The baby was suddenly quiet as if she understood the gravity of what her mother just did. Dimitri traced his thumb along her jaw and she caught his finger, holding it tight between her so fragile fingers.

"This can't be possible!" Viktoria exploded, startling everyone at the sound of her angry voice. I'd never heard her like this, she wasn't the type of person who would lose her temper for many things but this had definitely upset her.

"Calm down my love" I said, worried because she looked like someone else, someone who was suffering. I massaged her shoulder but she shook me off and marched up to stand in front of Dimitri.

"This… she… how?" Lissa stuttered and paced around the room like a mad woman. Christian was trying to calm her down but it only made her madder to be treated like a little girl.

"Dimitri Belikov, in this instant you are coming with me and we're go looking for her. She can't just leave like that, her daughter, she can't leave her!" Viktoria started crying and I hugged her. "She loves you Dimitri, I know that and there must have been a reason." She turned to me with a pleading look on her face. I shifted from one foot to another and massaged my temples.

By my side I heard Rose let out a sob, I knew she was crying but I wanted her to see what she'd done.

"Adrian, tell him that she wouldn't leave like that if there wasn't a good reason. We have to go looking for her, she will explain this. Or you can't go visit her dreams, look for her, do it!" I was about to say yes when Dimitri interrupted me.

He glared at me and that made me shut up.

"You won't do such a thing Adrian, you will stay out of her dreams and life because if I ever get news that you intruded her mind like that then I will do something. You know that I won't bother thinking who the hell you are." I didn't care about his threat, obviously because now I was showing her this, so I tried to look as dazed as he looked.

"Dimitri! We can't just stand here and do nothing. She wouldn't do something like this to you!" Lissa walked over to him and stood there looking so mad that her pale face was blushed. "You can't give up on her so easily,"

"Or what?" He growled, losing control. I flinched and Christian turned to him, taking a few steps closer to them in case he snapped and tried something against his pregnant wife. Out of the corner of my eye I'd noticed that there was a small flame forming in his right hand. But nobody else realized that, they were too upset to even care.

"Or what? Are you goddamn kidding me? You love her and you can't deny it, so why aren't you going after her?" The accusatory tone she used with him made him even angrier. She was also about to throw a punch at him, she definitely looked mad.

"I didn't kicked her out of the house, neither did I forced her to leave. It was her choice!" He yelled and Kathryn began crying again. "Please, just leave. I'm not in the mood for anything." He sounded like he'd given up already, like he couldn't care less about anything else. From my point of view he looked older, as if suddenly, he'd aged about ten years.

There was no trace of the happy and loving man he'd been when he was at the Academy that afternoon and heard the news that Lissa was pregnant.

"Dimitri" Rose murmured and took a couple of steps closer to him. She tried to touch his cheek but when she touched him her hand went right through his face, like a ghost.

"I'm not letting her go like this. I will go looking for her and when she gives me a good reason for this you will feel like an idiot!" We were all stunned for her reaction because she'd never cursed, nor called anybody an idiot. Nobody had ever dared to call him like that to his face but because she was the princess he let it go.

"I will look like an idiot? I am already an idiot! She is young, eighteen years old for god's sake, and I made the mistake to fall in love with her." Rose fell to her knees next to him, sobbing and crying. "She should have never had to leave her duties as guardian and she wouldn't have if it hadn't been because of something we thought was love."

"Dimitri… we didn't just think… we are… were… I don't know… I love you" She didn't stop crying and I could see how much she wished she could touch him and apologize but this was just a dream, a memory in this case, and that wasn't possible.

"She obviously isn't ready for being a mother," Dimitri continued. "She's young and has her whole life ahead of her, I don't know how I thought that her own daughter or even the engagement would hold her here. You know Rose probably better than any of us do, you should know that Rose was born to be a guardian, the adrenaline rush of the kill of a Strigoi. The years of practice to do exactly that won't simply go away when you have a daughter or meet someone. Her mother is proof of that, she left Rose at the Academy because she wanted to be a guardian. Now Rose left me and our daughter to do the exact same thing. Do you really think that she will be back? I doubt it." The room went completely silent.

"You're really going to leave her go like that?" Lissa's question did it, it made his face contort in such a way that you'd think he was in such a great pain. He took a deep breath.

"Yes, because there's nothing I can do. What would you do anyways? She obviously isn't the person we thought she was because she left her daughter! After all the times she complained to me how much it hurt her when her mother left and that she hated her for doing that, now she did the same thing. I have no other thing to do" Lissa nodded, as if understanding.

I waved my hand away and they all disappeared, Rose was still on the floor and when they disappeared she still stood there. Watching the same spot Dimitri had been, as if he'd be back. But something told me that she was ready to tell me what had happened, why she really left.

I sat in front of her and helped her up to sit beside me. She was shaking so badly that her legs almost buckled beneath her, I caught her just in time.

"Rose, I need you to tell me the truth. Why are you leaving?" I asked her in a smooth voice. She kept on looking straight.

"Because…" She began, her voice barely a whisper. "I needed to get out of there. Adrian, I can't stay there knowing that there will always be the small possibility that someone or something will separate Dimitri and me. It will be death, there is no escaping that and I won't be able to take that." She looked at me with the saddest expression, it made me feel guilty for showing her all that. "So I decided that it was still time left to leave and avoid that pain, Adrian this that we both feel by being away from each other is nothing compared to what we'd feel if one of us dies. He knows I'm alive and I know he's fine. Besides, what I said about having the desire to be a guardian is true. I can't deny what I was trained for, it was the perfect excuse to leave with Dimitri before because I was pregnant. My daughter deserves better than me." She looked down at her hands.

I didn't know if I should believe her but because she told me part of the truth I nodded. I didn't agree with it. I thought she might have a point. Though, her option of leaving wasn't that better than what she told me before. She was leaving her daughter, Dimitri and all of her friends because she was afraid, it was very selfish, even for someone as young as she was, but if that's what she wanted then I couldn't anything to stop her. She was probably in a plane going somewhere and it was too late to stop, not that I would, and the worst was that I felt bad. Why, I didn't know.

I just knew that this decision would change everyone's lives from now on, it was going to hurt Dimitri and even more her daughter. She didn't know what a great life she was leaving behind. I was just hoping to be able to forgive her someday, that someday Dimitri would forgive her if she ever decided to come back. But I doubted both of them. With nothing else to say or ask, though not satisfied with her answers, I left her dream and went back to my own head.

**Thank you for all your reviews. I really like them. **

**This chapter was supposed to be DPOV but i decided not to put it because I dont like it. I dont think is good enough for you guys because I put Dimitri a little too... hurt or weak. I just dont like it. Its sounds too feminine. sorry. But I'll try to fix it and in the future i will post it. just not now.**

**Now, about a new story that I want to write. How many of you have read The Host by Stephenie Meyer? Anyone? Well, i want to write a sequel to it but the thing is that the plot just hasnt come to me and I'm getting frustrated. I tried starting the story without a plot but it just doesnt work like that for me. So, if any of you have an idea that you think might make my brain work its magic and come up with it you are more than welcome to share it with me. send me a private message so nobody will know it. If you do that I'll be so grateful! I've been stressing over it for over a week and that's why I wasn't able to fix DPOV on time for you guys. so, you'd basically be lifting a weight off my shoulders. ugh!**

**Please leave lots of reviews and your ideas for The Host! I love you!**


	35. Chapter 35

**RPOV**

After waking up nearly crying because of what Adrian showed me, I decided that I didn't want to go back to sleep, afraid that he'd come back to torture me with those horrible images. I didn't know if he was showing me the truth or just made up something to make me feel guilty, but whatever it was, it made me feel like the worst person in the entire world. The way Dimitri looked, Lissa, and Viktoria, as if they couldn't quite believe that I was capable of doing something as bad as leaving my own daughter and hurting Dimitri. I wanted to kill my self, jump off the plane, anything to get rid of the pain in my chest, it was shallow from the piece I left behind with Dimitri, my daughter and friends, and it still hurt like hell.

I didn't know that so much pain was possible, not after giving birth to my daughter, but, apparently, I was wrong. Because the pain was nothing compared to having my daughter, I would have taken that pain a thousand times and be grateful instead of this. This pain came from within my soul and guilty mind, not even the horrible headache that I usually had when I was in a plain made some of my inside pain go away. The headache was an annoying mosquito compared to the pain in my chest, nothing could take that away.

Since the moment I sold my soul to Satan, aka Tatiana, I hadn't had a moment of piece. All the time I knew that I was making one of the biggest mistakes of my life, that I would regret it for the rest of my life and how much I would hurt everyone, but I never thought about the pain that I was causing my self. And I thought I was being selfish. Well, I did think about it, felt it, but it was just a fraction because I still had Dimitri with me, for a short time, and now that I knew that I'd probably said goodbye forever, I didn't know what to do.

Was I allowed to call him from time to time? Tatiana didn't mention anything about stop calling him or anything, but what good would it do anyways? None. Because first of all, I wasn't sure he'd answer if he knew it was me, second, I didn't know if I would be strong enough to lift the phone and call him, or listen to his voice even if he didn't know it was me. It would be too much. I'd probably be hurting him even worse by trying to talk to him. So I couldn't do that and neither would I see my daughter grow up.

I'd never thought of my self as a mother, not that much when I was pregnant, but I certainly could feel the pain of leaving Kathryn. She'd grow up without a mother, just like I did, and with the years she'd probably also resent me like I did with Janine and Abe. The pang of guilt that I felt in my gut made me feel even worse.

I knew that there was nothing left for me to do but fight and kill for my Dimitri and daughter. They would be safe as long as I was in Russia fighting and probably happy if Tasha and Dimitri got together. I liked the idea of him being happy and of my daughter having Tasha as a mother, but I hated it at the same time. Moroi had it so easy, they needed protection and we Damphirs were the cattle offered as a sacrifice to the Strigoi and worst of all was that we were ok with it, well some of us and that didn't include me.

But I had been defeated, I was almost dead by the time I arrived at Russia and what once looked like the best place to live and raise my daughter with Dimitri, still looked beautiful and gloomy at the same time. It wasn't a waste land at all, but it was my cage, jail the place where I would spend my days of exile fighting against Strigoi and death to stay alive. This exile was just beginning, it wouldn't be over for years and I would have to endure it whether I liked it or not.

When I got off the plane and went to look for Mikhail, it didn't take me long. I found him, we said hi and I followed him to the car. I climbed in and as he drove us to wherever I would be living. I couldn't stop thinking about the time I first came here with Dimitri. I'd thought that I would be happy forever because I was finally out of school and nobody could tell me anything on whether it was wrong what Dimitri and we had or not. I thought that… many things but now all of them were irrelevant.

"You look very upset, is there something wrong?" He asked, looking me out of the corner of his eye. I turned to him, eyed him curiously, wondering why on earth he would care and coming up with nothing. Maybe he was just trying to be polite, maybe he did care about it or maybe he was just way too observant for his own good.

"No, what would be wrong when I'm here, ready to risk my life for a bunch of narcissistic Moroi who would rather see _me_ dead than them?" I flashed him my best smile, trying to intimidate him with it so he wouldn't ask again and shut up, but failed. Instead he grinned, chuckled and shook his head amused.

"I was warned about you but didn't want to believe it. I thought that such a sweet girl like you would be much nicer, aren't new guardians all giddy and excited about graduating?" My smile didn't falter a bit, I was used to lying, I'd been doing that for a month to Dimitri, and believe me when I tell you that it hadn't been easy, so this guy who didn't know me would buy It easy.

"I'm not like most recently graduated guardians" I dropped my voice low and inserted some venom in it. "I've probably killed more Strigoi than you have, I have been in battle, left what I love the most, and don't you think that because of all that I'm supposed to be tough and mean? Maybe deserve some time to mourn and be melancholic?"

By then we'd finally arrived to our destination, some sort of base surrounded by a gate, like the one at the Academy, and inside there were a bunch of small cottages and a main house right in the middle of all. It didn't look so bad but not so cozy either. None of it matter anyway because I wasn't here on vacation but on call for battle.

He took his time to answer me, I knew he was surprised, he probably didn't know I was from St. Vladimir's academy but it didn't matter. He studied me, looked me up and down as we unloaded my suitcases from the trunk and he walked me to one of the cottages. Inside there were about three other beds, beside each one of them there was a bedside table and at the other end of the room three dressers. The room was white, no trace or signal that could tell me whether I was sharing my room with someone else or alone. The bathroom door was slightly open and I could see that it had a toilet and tub, good. There was only one window and it was right next to the bed where he left my stuff. I felt good knowing that if I looked out the window right now Dimitri or someone else would also be looking at the same sky. The sky was something we both would be sharing besides the pain.

"I don't think that you should be lamenting anything, nor should you hide under that mask of sarcasm and sturdiness. You have to learn how to deal with all of it." He tilted his head to one side and studied my face before switching something and looking like a blank wall, when he spoke his voice was stern. "I expect you to be up at four o'clock to start training because if you are going to be in charge of the whole squad you need to be ready." I nodded curtly and saw him leave like there was nothing wrong.

For him there probably wasn't anything wrong. With me? Everything was wrong. The ache in my chest intensified and I tried to distract my self by thinking about the fact that he just said that I would be in charge of the whole squad and because this place was probably bigger than I thought I imagined that the squad was a very large one. The pain won and after changing into some clothes and going to bed I began crying like a baby. I didn't care about anything, I just wanted to let it all out. When I finally calmed my self and the sobs stopped, I wiped away the tears, went to the bathroom and washed my face from any trace of tears. As I looked at my self in the mirror I promised my self that I wouldn't cry anymore, not ever, for anything. I needed to be tough and brave if I was going to survive my exile.

The next day, early in the morning, began my new life in Russia and I'd thought the night before, the squad was a very large one. There were about ninety other guardians there, waiting for me and Mikhail to instigate the training. Some of them were older, some not much older than me, but we all had in common some things: We hadn't come on our own and we were really good at fighting.

We began by warming up a bit and then sparred. I found out how great Mikhail was, he kicked my ass a couple of times since I hadn't been training in months but after a couple of hits I caught up and beat the hell out of him, using all the rage I had inside of me. It was rather really good to be able to train with someone who I had no idea what his moves or tactics were.

And just like that, in a cold morning with sweat prickling down my back and soaking my shirt, training, I began the new life that I'd dreaded for the past month.

**Ok, so I read my reviews and one in particular caught my attention. Is from erin85. It said that she/he wouldnt read this storie because this was just another storie in which Dimitri and Tasha hooked up, that she was tired of that. but let me tell you something... that is no reason to stop reading a story! You don't like something about it, you keep reading to know whether or not that problem gets fixed and how. Because I'm also tired of stories in which you guys put tasha as the bad guy trying to snatch Dimitri away from Rose by using compulsion. Let me tell yo something about that. That would never happen! Tasha would never do something like that, make Dimitri something against his will. Like Rose said, "real friends don't use their powers on each other" (quote from Shadowkiss) and Tasha is dimitri's friend. We all know who Dimitri would have ended up with if it weren't for Rose! I mean, its more than obvious.**

**I'm not saying that those stories are bad, don't take things wrong, they were actually really good. I liked them and if I didnt review was because I couldnt and didnt have the time at school. But I did copy them and read them at home in my internetless computer. That was before of course, now I do have internet and a new computer. so hopefully I will be able to leave reviews in the stories I read, when I start to read stories again. I'm just saying that I didnt like stories in which Tasha was the bad guy, but I kept reading them because the plot was so good. **

**So, dont let something like that dissapoint you. I also saw another review, from Aftershadowkiss, in which this girl wasnt going to keep reading because she was tired of fanfics in which Rose had a baby, because in the real books that was impossible. I know it was impossible! Duh! I'm not stupid. But because it was impossible for the real characters I wanted my characters to be able to. So I do understand why some people put Tasha as the bad guy. that would never happen in the real story, but int their minds it did. I can deal with that. **

**You guys have to learn how to read or go out of your comfort zone. That's the whole point of reading. And also to enjoy it. So, please, if you are going to suddenly stop reading my story for X reason, tell me and I will address it. I'll tell you why I put it. After all, this is my story. Everything comes from my head.**

**Changing subject...**

**I still need you people to come up with ideas for me to write a fanfic of The Host. I loved that book and I don't understand why I can't come up with something on my own but I'm asking you for help because I really really would like to write a story like that. I might not like Stephanie Meyer because she's greedy but that books was utterly awesome. Send me a private message or review with your ideas.**

**Please review!**


	36. Chapter 36

**It's clearly not over**

Five Years Later.

**DPOV**

I woke up at the sound of the alarm clock. Startled, I lifted my arm and pressed the snooze button so the radio would shut up. The sound of that kind of music annoyed me so much that I didn't feel like going back to sleep, but I felt very tired and decided to stay in bed a while longer. Last night I'd worked late, came home at two thirty in the morning and today I had to wake up at seven and be at court at eight o'clock sharp. I hated when someone was late so I had to put the example and get there early, but today… today I felt like staying in bed and sleep late, or at least get up late. Because I had a feeling that today wouldn't be a good day, I had no idea why.

In the past couple of weeks I'd had to wake up early and work late, something that I hated to do knowing that my daughter needed me here. It made me feel like a bad father for not having much time for Kat when that was exactly what she desired the most. Which was why I was planning on calling and telling them that I was sick or something, but I stopped my self in time. This was no time for some 'me time' I had so much work to do today.

I groaned and rolled onto my back, putting my arm over my eyes. It was still kind of bright outside and I hated that window. I just didn't know why I hadn't already bought darker or thicker, whatever, curtains.

An arm landed on my chest and then her head rested on my shoulder. I put an arm around her and held her closer to my body, enjoying the feeling of her warm skin against my bare chest, and kissed the top of her head. She sighed happily and I smiled to my self. It was nice to wake up with her every morning and knowing that I wasn't alone. She snuggled closer and I took advantage by shifting my body so I was on top of her. I kissed her and the smile that she gave me made my heart race. I propped my self up and cupped her face bringing it closer to mine. I wanted to close the distance between her lips and mine but looking at her was almost as good.

"Good morning" She said, her voice barely audible.

"Good morning," I couldn't resist it anymore, I had to kiss those lips, and I did. She wrapped her arms and legs around me.

But just like that, I remembered where I was supposed to go and pulled away gently, not wanting to hurt her feelings. "I have to go to work," I murmured, my forehead against hers, sounding as much disappointed as I was. I wished I could spend the rest of the day with her and Kat, more than anyone could imagine, but I knew my responsibilities.

"Mhmm, I know." I groaned again, she knew that when she was that way it cost me more to be able to get up. She sighed and opened her eyes, looked me in the eyes and released me reluctantly. I wanted to grab her and bring her back to the bed with me, more than I wanted to go to work, but I kept my hands to my self and got up.

"I'll be home for lunch and then I'll be back at six" I promised as I looked for some clothes in the closet, I grabbed my normal black slacks and white dress shirt that hung there and when I walked past her I grabbed her by the waist. She smiled brightly at me and kissed my cheek.

"Don't make a promise if you won't keep it" She sang sweetly as she stepped away and looked for her own clothes in the dresser. I needed to take a shower and change if I didn't want to be late but I felt like I needed to say something else.

"I will…" she cut me off with a laugh, poking her head out of the closet and winking at me.

"Kat will chastise you for not coming home early" I laughed and decided that if they were going to make feel guilty about it I still wanted a couple of minutes to my self before standing in front of the judges, in this case my daughter and wife.

I went to the bathroom, took my pants off and stepped into the hot water of the shower. The water running through my body felt so good and relaxing, I sighed and tried to prolong my time but after five extra minutes I realized that I wouldn't be able to have breakfast with Kat if I didn't hurry up. I knew that she would get mad at me and then her mother would get mad at me for making Kat mad and… I really didn't feel like disappointing anybody after the last couple of nights. So I hurried up to change and tied my hair back into a ponytail.

I shaved as fast as possible and the sound of my cell phone ringing made me make a small cut in my jaw. "_Govno_" **(Shit)** I cursed and decided that whoever that was didn't deserve my attention anymore. I finished shaving and ignored the cell phone, after three calls I decided that it was time to answer.

"Hello?" I almost barked to the phone and could almost see whoever was on the other line flinching at my tone. I didn't really understand why I couldn't be nice to anyone else who wasn't my family. Many thought that I was too strict, and maybe I was but who the hell cared, as long as I did my job I didn't think that there was something wrong with not being nice.

"Guardian Belikov," The woman sounded slightly scared and I made a note to wait till I knew who it was before growling like a jerk to anybody. This woman was obviously scared of me. "The meeting this morning won't be until nine o'clock and I was told to tell you so you wouldn't come here so early."

Great, I would have more time with Kat this morning and maybe she'd be able to forgive me.

"Thank you" I said, a little more politely and then the line went dead.

Chuckling, I closed the phone and put it in my pocket. I at least tried to be nice to her so it wasn't my fault and it hadn't been me the one hanging up so abruptly. Whistling happily I made my way into the kitchen and smelled the fabulous aroma of eggs and bacon, my favorite. I walked in and sat but then noticed that Kat wasn't there yet. I looked under the table, thinking that maybe she was trying to hide from me because she was still mad but she wasn't there either.

I looked up, "Where's Kat?" I asked.

"Oh, I don't know," Her mother also looked around, startled when not finding her. "I thought she was with you in our room."

There were three plates already on the table waiting for us to eat but I couldn't eat knowing that my little girl wasn't here even if she would chastise me for not being home early last night. It just didn't feel right so I excused my self and went to her room. I walked slowly and silently, I knocked on the door but she didn't answer. Worried, I opened the door and peered inside, she was on her bed, her back to me and I sighed relieved.

I went in and sat next to her on the bed, by her even breathing I knew she was still asleep but I was leaving soon and wanted to spend some time with her before leaving. I brushed her hair from her face, carefully, and kissed her brow. I waited a second and watched her stir, then her eyes fluttered open and a smile spread across her face when she saw me. I smiled too, feeling bad for making her upset last night when I didn't come home early. I knew she must have gone to bed very sad and probably giving her mother a hard time so I decided that today I would do everything in my hands to come home early, at six like I was supposed to, and spend some more time with her.

"Daddy!" She squealed and sat up, hugging me tight to her much smaller body. I chuckled and then she pulled away. When I saw the scowl on her face I knew what was coming, she was still mad at me for coming late, again, and not seeing her before her bedtime. I sighed. "You promised to get here early, daddy, and you didn't" Her lower lip quivered and, alarmed that she might start crying, I pulled her close to me for another hug.

"I'm sorry kitten," I began, using her nickname that I'd given her a long time ago, knowing that she loved it and would probably forgive me easily. Because the last thing I wanted was to upset her over something that was very much my fault. "I had to work late last night, but today I promise to get here early." She looked at me questioningly, trying to find out if I was saying the truth or not. "I don't have a meeting till nine o'clock and I'll some home for lunch and then back at six. We'll have plenty of time together today" A second later she smiled, the grin that made her look so much like… _Her_, and my breath caught in my throat.

She must have seen my pained expression because then she put a hand to my cheek and as fast as the pain came from the painful memory of her, the pain faded away, slowly, making me wonder how that was possible with a simple touch. She had a look on her face, as if she were concentrating on something very hard, a prickle of sweat just above her brow sliding down. I was too shocked to do anything for a moment because the swirl of thoughts in my head were too much, the memory of Lissa healing me five years ago when I woke up from the coma. I remembered the look on her face, the absorption she was is in and yet the happy smile of using Spirit.

Horrified for what I'd seen and scared that I was right about the fact that my daughter might be a Spirit user, I crushed her to my chest in a tight embrace. I could not bare that thought, my own daughter having to struggle with that abnormal talent for the rest of her life, she couldn't suffer that. I didn't want her to have to struggle with that, I'd seen Adrian, Lissa, both of them always struggling from what it took them to be able to live a normal live. Lissa still suffered from the darkness, sometimes, and when she didn't I imagined that it was because _Her_ took it from her even if she wasn't here. Adrian didn't get drunk anymore, but I knew that it took him a great deal of courage to overcome the darkness, even when he didn't use it often.

I Looking down at the innocent face of my daughter, I couldn't fathom her looking or behaving like Ms. Karp, the woman that used to teach a couple of years ago at the Academy. Lissa once told me about Ms. Karp and that she'd become Strigoi in order to get rid of the awful Spirit effect. And if she'd done that, then that meant that the effects were even worst that I'd thought, than I'd seen in Her or Lissa when we were back at the Academy. My daughter couldn't end up like any of them them.

"Daddy! What's wrong?" Kat's voice snapped me out of it and I let go of her a little, still holding her at arms length.

"When did you learn to do that? How… did Lissa tell…" She cut me off by laughing.

I was still surprised and angry at my self for not noticing it before, it would be my fault if something happened to Kat.

"I didn't learn anything… I… Daddy why are you looking at me like that? I didn't mean to hurt you and if I did I'm sorry." She looked so sad and regretful that I felt bad for talking to her so harshly. I knew she had just been trying to help but if she could already heal… I just didn't know what to do.

"Kat" I began, not really knowing what to say. Was I supposed to explain to her everything or just telling her to be careful? "You didn't do anything wrong" Relief crossed her angelic features and I felt a little more confident. "I just… since when can you do that? Heal, I mean." She looked puzzled.

"Is that what is called? Heal?" I nodded. "I didn't know but I… I don't know since when, I just know that it feels… so… great." She straightened and crossed her legs beneath her. "Daddy, it makes me feel so happy and when I saw you like that, kind of in pain, I thought that it would be ok." She tilted her head to one side. "You don't want me to keep doing it?"

"No" It came out harsher than I'd intended and she flinched. "No," I said a little more gently, "Its dangerous and if you can avoid it please do it." She seemed to understand and nodded.

"Ok, Daddy, I won't do it again if I don't have to." The seriousness in her voice made me realize that she sounded a lot like me, Kat's mother had told me that many times, and that I took everything too seriously.

I smiled and tried to relax. "We'll talk more later, now we have to go because breakfast is served." I was relieved to see the big smile spread across her face, relieved that this had been delayed for later, I scooped her up into my arms and carried her all the way to the kitchen.

As soon as we went in she jumped from my arms and ran all the way to Tasha's arms that were already spread wide open, waiting for her. I smiled at both of them and took my seat right next to Tasha, Kat sat next to her mom too.

"Mommy, I want to go to play with Rory" Kat announced and I flinched a little when she called Tasha, mommy, its not that I didn't like it, I did, but Kat didn't know she wasn't her mom. I regretted lying to my own child about who her mother was, but it was out of the question to tell her the truth. It wouldn't do any good because she wasn't here anyways.

"Of course, I'll call Lissa and ask her if she's going to be there with you and the girls or if its Christian." Tasha answered and Kat nodded.

I ate in silence, wondering what I should do about my daughter. She was too young to understand how important it was for her to stop using magic, that her sanity and life might depend on it, and I couldn't just tell her that because it would frighten her.

"Daddy!" I looked at my daughter.

"Yes?"

"What can I do to help you get home early?" Her sweet voice made me smile.

"You don't have to do absolutely anything. I already said that I'll be home by six and that is for sure, so don't worry." I kissed my daughter and Tasha's cheek as I stood up and then rinsed my plate.

"Ok," Kat said and began bouncing up and down around the kitchen.

Tasha came over and stood beside me, "You better come early or else she will be very upset." She murmured in my ear so Kat wouldn't hear.

"I know but I will be here, I'm going to leave someone else in charge of patrolling and reinforcing the wards, so don't worry" I kissed her and placed my arms around her waist. Just then my cell phone had to ring.

We pulled away and I looked at the text, it was from John, a friend of mine.

_U have to get over here, now_

I sighed, "I have to go, John says he wants me there now" I said and she nodded.

"You going already?" Kat pouted.

"Yes, but I promised you to get here early" I kissed her forehead and left.

**From the reviews you guys left I know that many of you are upset. specially about what i said yesterday, reffering to erin85. I want to clarify what I meant yesterday. When i said the 'let me tell you' wasn't for your friend Cathleen. Those were for other people in general and I didn't mean to offend her or you or anybody else who doesn't like where my story is going. You are right about being upset because it is true that writing good reviews means getting good reviews, it does work both ways. i just want you guys to see all of this from my POV. Some of you say that this stuff of Dimitri and Tasha hooking up is getting old, it is, i mentioned it before, but every story uses that differently. for example, I'm not making anyone be with anyone against their will. Dimitri is with Tasha because of his daughter and because of the fact that he has feelings for her. While they're not as strong as those for Rose and that he's confusing love for gratitude is my point. I'm not making Dimitri a heartless person and it is true that in the books he did reckless things in the name of the love he had for Rose. Rose is the woman he loves, I didn't change that. dimitri is only hurt and confused, not heartless and faithless. If he lost faith in Rose was because of the letter. Wouldn't any of you also lose faith in someone, even if you really love them, if they leave so suddenly and withouth facing you? I know I would. you also stop trusting them. when you are hurt you are kind of blind to the truth, that is what's going on in my story. Just try to read between the lines and have an open mind. What I do when I don't like something in a fanfic because of X I clear my mind of any other story like that that I've read and keep reading to know where it leads. Please don't get upset about dimitri and Tasha being together, Tasha deserved her shot with Dimitri because we all know that in the books that will never happen. And Dimitri is not heartless in my story. He's grateful for what Tasha did by helping him with her daughter and all that. I'll post DPOV when he found the letter in another chapter and you'll see what happened. But for now i can't because then you would see his POV too feminine.**

**Another matter is the fact that Rose left her baby. How could she do that? Well, that's easy, to protect her daughter. What would you rather do? some of you are parents. Would you have rather risk telling Dimitri and then not finding a solution or would you have gone the safer route of leaving in peace knowing that your daughter would be better taken care of? Dimitri is strong, he is just trying to move on, or at least that's what he thinks, for the sake of his daughter. He also wants the best for her.**

**Like LastSacrifice4U said, the whole point of fanfic is to write the stories how you picture them or wanted it to be? I believe that some of you, like me, were upset for the fact that Adrian is Rose's boyfriend in SP and yet, you didn't hate the series because of that. i admit that I didn't like that because we all know that Rose and Dimitri belong together, but Adrian now had his chance with Rose, it was only fair knowing that it wouldn't go any further than that. It's like with Tasha. She's having her opportunity with Dimitri now that he_ thinks _he's in love with Rose. Because i believe that many of you noted that he still remembers her even if its with resentment. But remember that between hate and love there's only one step. Or something like that.**

**I want to thanks Vaena for her idea. Even though its a good one, I don't think I'd be able to write Mel's POV in The Host. It would be too complicated to get into someone's mind whose trapped in her own head. And I want to write my story in Wanda's POV so its a love story between her and Ian. I love Ian. He's such a great guy. **

**All of you guys are still welcome to tell me your ideas for my story The Host. Please do because I'm going crazy not being able to come up with ideas.**

**Review and don't forget that I love all of you for reviewing even if its to tell me that you don't like the story. I still adore the reviews because you tell me what you like and dont like.**


	37. Author's note, Very Important!

Author's note

Due to the fact that I just found out some girl stole my story Lovely Rose With Thorns, I won't keep writing my story. I had great ideas to keep writing it and all, really, some of the people who left me reviews in TP gave me ideas to the other story. But now, that someone completely stole my story, which I hadn't updated in a while, since May I think, I will stop writing my story.

Because I know that if I keep writing then she will keep copying everything I do. I'm sorry. If you want to read the story, really really want, send me an email to my link: .com

I will send you chapters whenever I can.

The girl who stole from me is: IKTHYIA

Here's the link of the story if you want to reread my story:

.net/s/6204397/2/bite_me_if_you_can

I'm really upset. And I don't want to sound like Stephanie Meyer when someon posted her chapters on the internet without her permission, but its really unfair the fact that that girl simply took my idea and began writing it. I mean, it starts just like mine: with abe Mazur calling his daughter to tell her that he's just hired a guardian for her and all. And then Andre. Andre! Ugh!

This is worst than what happened to Stephanie Meyer.

On the other hand, concerning Turning Point, I want to clarify something. I got a review in which someone thought that Dimitri was in a coma or something... well, that's not true. I simply forwarded my story five years. Dimitri is married to Tasha and Kat thinks she's her mom. Just so we're clear. I'll update tomorrow, hopefully, if you give me more reviews!


	38. Chapter 38

As I walked to court, which was very close, I realized that I had no idea why John would want me to get over there now. The meeting wasn't until nine and it was barely eight o'clock, there had to be something wrong for him to admit that he needed his boss to handle it. I trusted John, really did, so I was worried.

I didn't want to have to face some big problem right now, I'd promised Kat that I would get home early and I was planning on keeping my promise. I would leave whatever was wrong in hands of someone else. But I also had the big problem of my daughter being a Spirit user, she had almost confirmed it this morning when she told me that she liked to do it. If she really was one, something that I was still trying to deny, then we were deep in trouble because with me working I wouldn't be able to act if something bad happened. Tasha would, probably, take her to Lissa or Adrian, who was spending some time over here at the Academy with my sister.

Speaking of which, I had to go and see her. I'd promised her to take some time to visit her today because I hadn't spent enough time with her and James. Adrian probably wouldn't be there, he always liked to spend some time with The Queen to catch up in stuff.

So I hurried to get to the conference room and when I went in everyone turned to look at me, as if they'd seen a ghost or hadn't expected me to see me so early. Either way, I went in and took my seat at the head of the table and motioned for everyone else to take a seat. When they did John was the first one to speak, he didn't look particularly giddy and in the mood to banter like he always did, instead he looked worried."Guardian Belikov," He began, looking at me in the eyes as if telling me something in secret but I had no idea what he was talking about, with all the problems in my head whatever problem they had here didn't matter to me. "We have a problem with the… assassins." That got my attention.

We'd been monitoring that gang of rogue guardians for quite a long time since we realized that they were hunting down the Strigoi instead of protecting Moroi. I had no idea who they were, or who was in command of that squad but I'd wanted to find out. Without any clue to who they were or where they'd come from, we'd been only monitoring their killings. So far they'd reduced the Strigoi populations considerably in Russia and Europe, and we had no idea why they were doing it. We also knew that they only went for big cities and from time to time, the small ones where the Strigoi killed more than they were supposed to.

It was reckless but at the same time brave to go and hunt down Strigoi with no purpose whatsoever, they could all get killed, changed, or wounded for the rest of their lives. But however they got so lucky and able to fight them they were stills being reckless. And for orders of the Queen we had to keep an eye on them, why? I didn't really know, nor did I care. I just wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.

"What's the problem now?" I asked, my voice tired and I rubbed my temples as that could help get rid of the headache that forming.

"They are coming to court today" My head shut up and I glared at him.

"What!" I stood up and smacked my hands on the table, which trembled under my weight and force that I hit it. Many flinched at my sudden outburst, but I had the right because why anyone didn't told me sooner about something like that? We'd been trying to get a hold of at least one of them so we could interrogate them but so far none of the guardians over there at Russia had had any luck with that, and now they were coming here? "Why didn't you tell me something sooner?"

"Because we didn't know either, till today." John answered, also upset.

He was the only one that dared to talk to me in the same way I talked to everyone else, he was also the only one that dared to tell me if I was going over the top with my temper. John didn't deserve to take the blame, I got it, but right now I wanted to hit something. Even though I was mad, my face remained blank. Only my eyes must have showed some of the anger building inside me, and my voice sounded as intimidating as if I were Strigoi."And what do they want?" I asked, he exchanged looks with some other guardians.

"Their leader wants to talk to you" I was so taken back that it must have showed in my face, because next thing I knew is that I'm taking my seat and thinking.

Why would he want to see me? There was no reason, because if they were coming here they must want something with the Queen, not me. Maybe he knew me? I hadn't heard anything about some friends in years, maybe one of them was the head of the squad. But whoever it was, he clearly wanted to talk to me about something important.

"Perfect" The sarcasm in my voice made me feel worse. This time it was no use to try to hold back the head ache, it was useless; the headache was already throbbing against my skull. "At what time are they going to be here?"John seemed surprised now, he must have thought that I would start yelling and asking too many questions, but I felt too tired to do anything but agree to talk to them. "But I will leave at six, not a minute later so you better go and find them now because if I want to leave early I'll have to finish other business." I stood up and gathered the many folders that were in front of me, not knowing what they were but sure that I had to be the one to read and sign all of it.

"I—I—fine. They said they were going to be here at midday, right here, and it might take a long time to sort things out." I nodded. "And those are some of the files that we have about some of the guards that have been fighting in Russia" I looked at him and arched my eyebrow, questioningly.

"How'd you get them?" I asked and once again he looked very uncomfortable at my question. Nonetheless, I was confused as how he got them and why he wouldn't tell me anything about it.

"Just look through them till you find the one that holds your attention, then you'll know who the leader is" By the time he finished I was already suspicious that he knew much more than he let me know, but because I didn't have the time to stay an

d chat, I simply sighed, tired, and walked out of the conference room.

He said that the file that would hold my attention the most would be the leader of those rogue guardians. I walked to one of the offices and began to look at the files, most of them I didn't know, but there was something in common with them, they were all from different parts of the world and had been well trained. It took me a long time to sort through all of them, hours actually because I'd been reading their life history and where they'd been trained. None of them held my attention for more time than it should have, most of them were man and some women. When it was almost twelve o'clock I got hold of one file that did hold my attention. I read the file first, skipping the name accidentally. The file said that she'd been trained in St. Vladimir's just a couple of years ago, maybe I'd seen her and couldn't remember. I kept on reading and as I read something inside my chest tightened, I couldn't breathe, and it felt like I was being stabbed in the heart.

**Graduated from St. Vladimir's Academy, this particular graduate decided not to accept any Moroi as her charge and went away shortly after graduating. She graduated without taking the trials, but the headmistress gave her a high score from the other times she fought Strigoi. Having killed two Strigoi by herself and fighting in battle she was believed to be one of the best guardians of her generation. She had a mentor, Dimitri Belikov, who was assigned to her after she ran away with a Moroi for two years, he trained her during her last year at St. Vladimir's so she could reinforce her skills. There's no further information about her but she is believed to be very dangerous and lethal, we warn to be cautious with her.**

Without even reading the name I already knew who they were talking about and that was like a punch to my gut. To confirm it and finally end the pain I looked at the name beneath the picture that had been safely tucked behind the papers.

Rosemarie , looking back at me with the most beautiful smile that I hadn't seen in years and with her bewitching eyes, was Rosemarie Hathaway. I took a deep breath and blinked several times, thinking that maybe I just hallucinating, that she wasn't the one we'd been trying to track the past five years without knowing it was her.

Because since she left, I'd tried with all I had to forget her, to remind my self that there was no use on thinking about her if she was never coming back and I would never go looking for her if she didn't want to be found. All these years I'd been trying to start all over with Tasha and my daughter, we were happy, I was happy without her. The lie that I'd been telling my self this whole time simply couldn't hold my self together anymore. I wasn't entirely happy, not without her, the one I fell in love with and swore to love the rest of my life. But I couldn't, wouldn't, do anything to get her back because she made very clear, with a letter nonetheless, that she wasn't capable of being with her own daughter. She wasn't capable of loving anyone, not even her daughter.

**Girl and guy were speeding over 100mph on a motorcycle**

**Girl: Slow down, I'm scared!**

**Guy: No, this is fun.****Girl: No, it's not. Please, I'm scared.**

**Guy: Then tell me you love me.**

**Girl: I love you, now slow down!**

**Guy: Now give me a big hug.**

**She gives him a big hug**

**Guy: Can you take off my helmet and put it on yourself, it's bothering me.****In the newspaper the next day, a motorcycle had crashed into a building because of break failure. Two people were on it and only one survived. The truth was that halfway down the road, the guy realized his break wasn't working but he didn't want the girl to know. Instead he had her hug him and tell him one last time that she loved him. Then he had her put on his helmet so that she would live even if he died. Copy this onto your profile if you would do the same thing for someone you love**

**I read this and it made me cry, its so sad. I think this is a good example of sacrifice for your love. At church they even used this, which is odd. Anyhow, I have to remind you that, if you read between the lines, this is my SP story. Yes, it is. In SP Rose is with Adrian and Dimitri tells her that he doesn't love her anymore, that his love 'faded away', well it's the same in my story. Dimitri is with Tasha because Rose left him and his daughter, he thinks he's in love with Tasha when in reality he's actually still in love with Rose. Gratefulness can be confused with love.**

**So, I think someone asked me to write a SP story before it came out, I said I couldn't, well now I am. I didn't even think about it this way until Roza 24 put it that way. HA! I'm a bit slow. Anyways, I think I wasn't clear enough in something. Someone asked me if dimitri was in a coma? No, he isnt. He was at the beginning of AfterShadowKiss when they brought him alive from the caves, but since then he hasn't been in a coma. If you understood otherwise, or I led you to believe that in some way, no, he isn't in a come. Dimitri is currently living at court and is head of security. He's also Tasha's sanctuaned guardian.****I have good news. I just decided to keep wiriting my story Lovely Rose With Thorns. After all the drama that I just caused, I've just been talked some sense by my aunt and I've decided to keep posting the story. Claudia seemed pretty amused by my dilemma but said, and I quote, "Stop bein a bitch and don't stop writing because that other bitch stole you're story" She's pretty convincing, isn't she? Not to mention sweet and ladylike. Ha! So, there won't be any more drama for now.**

**I will constantly monitor that girl's story and if she keeps copying my story I will stop writing.**

**So, just keep reviwing. I will update Lovely Rose With thorns soon.**

**I forgot to put a summary for this part: It's clearly not over. It's still part of the second part: Turning Point, but this is more like a subtittle or something.**

**Summary:**

**Rose is back, and with her are the memories that Dimitri had buried in his mind. She is the leader of the rogue hunters that have been hunting down and killing as many Strigoi as possible in Russia and Europe. She's back, but why? Is she after something, or someone? Will she try to win back Dimitri? What about Tasha? She might surprise us this time. And, most important of all, what about Kathryn? She doesn't know that the pretty woman who calls her dad Comrade and 'learned pretty good moves' from him is her real mother, will she figure it out?**

_**Will Rose and Dimitri ever be together?**_


	39. Chapter 39

**RPOV**

I tried to concentrate on the sound that my high-heeled boots made as I walked through the halls of Court, a place that I hadn't been in for five years and had sworn to never put a foot on. But, as I already knew, I wasn't able to keep that promise. If I didn't concentrate on something other than my dark and twisted thought I knew that I would go crazy, five years ago I'd walked these same hallway, well not exactly because here only guardians were allowed, but somewhere close to here, and I'd been very happy, stressed but happy and now I was dark and twisty.

Why? Oh, well, that might be because I was about to, finally after five long years, see Dimitri. My heart started to beat faster and the excitement and anxiety made the tightening in my chest almost unbearable. There was no way in hell that I would be able to face him without wanting to throw my self at him or kiss him, anything that involved physical contact with him, which would make things complicated and awkward between us since I was here to warn him and the guardians here at court about a slight problem concerning Strigoi and him.

I hadn't come here because I wanted to, I'd come back to warn, fight and disappear again, or at least that was my plan and Tatiana's. She didn't like the idea of me here any more that I did, but it was for different circumstances. Tatiana still wanted to keep my daughter a secret and me away from here fighting Strigoi, that's what I was doing here. I was supposed to come here and kill the damn Strigoi that managed to wiggle out of my reach on my last fight with him and came here to America for Dimitri and possibly my daughter.

I still didn't understand why they wanted him so much, Galina wasn't undead anymore, therefore they shouldn't keep trying to get Dimitri, but I guess that when you are immortal and evil and don't have anything else evil to do during your free time you could stalk someone. Whatever the reason was I wasn't letting Louie get anywhere near Dimitri, I left because I was trying to protect him and me from going to jail, also to keep him out of Strigoi reach and to let all that go to hell? No, I was going to fight, to death if necessary, to keep Dimitri here safe with my daughter.

I didn't care if he wanted to see me or not, though I imagined that after five years he wouldn't like me that much anymore, I was here and wouldn't go till I saw him.

I was walking and suddenly I heard a noise. I paid more attention to it and realized that it was coming from one of the offices that were to my right. I put a hand on the stake that was in my belt and walked slowly toward the sound. When I was close enough I realized that the sound was of someone crying, and it was probably a little girl. I looked around but the place was empty, maybe I'd heard wrong, I thought but not a second after and I heard the little kid cry again.

"Hello? Kid are you ok?" I asked.

"Mommy?" this time her voice was clearer and it was coming from beneath the desk that was just a couple of feet away from me. I walked to it and knelt beside it, looking underneath it and like I thought, the little girl was there. She was hugging her legs to her chest and her face was wet with tears. I felt bad for the little girl and extended my hand toward her, but she didn't take it, instead she looked at me, obviously not trusting me. "You're not my mommy!" She wailed and kept on crying.

Instead of finding the kid annoying for crying like that when I was trying to help her, I felt the sudden need to help her, it hurt me a little to see her so panicked and scared under the desk that I refused to go without finding the little girl's irresponsible parents. I would definitely talk to those idiotic Moroi.

"No, I'm not your mommy but I'm here to help you" She shook her head, "I can help you find your mommy." She looked at me with hopeful brown eyes that made me think of something, someone but I just couldn't quite place it, those eyes looked strangely familiar. I ignored that detail because somehow I doubted that her eyes would help me find her parents with just that trait.

"Really? You'd do that?" Her sweet voice made me feel… I don't know but it felt like something woke up inside of me and it felt almost good. I liked the fact that she already trusted me.

"Yes, but I need you to get out of there first" I tried to sound as normal as possible so I wouldn't scare her and I think I succeeded because a second later she came out and I was able to stand up from that kneeling position that made my knees hurt. Even I didn't like that feeling.

When we were both face to face she looked up at me, watery red eyes and all, and I realized how peculiarly familiar she looked. She had long brown hair that went past her shoulder and her deep brown eyes looked the most familiar but I couldn't quite place it. I'd seen plenty of people with eyes like that, I said to my self, it's just the resemblance to _him_ that you think you know this little girl.

"Hi there" I said and smiled. She rubbed her eyes with her small hands and smiled too.

"Hi," She was shy.

"My name is Rosemarie, what's yours?" I extended my hand and she shook it, a little more confident.

"Kitten," I choked back some laughter with a grin, who would name their kid Kitten? Certainly they must have been drunk or crazy, but I didn't say anything to offend the little kid. She was barely talking to me and I wanted to help her, even if that would mean to be late for that stupid meeting. I'd forgotten all the paper work and formality in which they lived here.

"Very well Kitten, do you know where your mommy or daddy are?" I'd expected her to say yes, because how could she have gotten here otherwise but she shook her head and another tear fell down her cheeks. I wiped them away.

"No, I don't know where mommy is. We were at my mommy's friend's house and I was playing with Rory but then we decided to play outside and I got lost over here. I don't know the way back to Lissi's house." She was almost sobbing.

I sighed, who the hell would be so stupid as to leave a little girl like her play outside? Apparently the same kind of parents that named their kid Kitten.

"Great." I murmured to my self but she heard and her pretty and charming eyes hardened as if I'd said something really bad. I regretted my word a second late, realizing what a bad habit it was to speak my thoughts out loud. Getting over the habit of biting my nails I went into the phase of speaking my thoughts too loud or speaking to my self.

"You aren't very nice" She said to my face and then stuck out her tongue at me. While I gaped at her, she turned around and turned around to walk out of the empty office. It took me a sec to go after her because apparently she wasn't that shy after all.

I went after her and caught her elbow, careful not to hurt her. She turned around to face me and I saw more tears streaming down her creamy skin, not too pale, nor too tanned, which was weird in a Moroi. They were, almost from law, pale.

"Wait," I said,

"I don't want to wait, I want to find mommy before daddy finds out and decides to come home late!" Ok, so the kid wanted to spend more time with her daddy and find her mommy.

"I'll help you, I promise" She looked at me for what seemed to be a long time before nodding.

I took her hand and began walking toward the meeting room of the guardians, maybe someone could help me find her mommy or daddy. Surely someone would know her parents, wait what was her parents names?

"What's your daddy's name?" I asked and she looked puzzled.

"Daddy" she answered and I rolled my eyes. Of course she would say that, how come I didn't see that one coming?

"And I suppose your mommy's name is mommy" She nodded, looking at me as if I were crazy.

We kept on walking, I was already late for the meeting so what could go make it worse if not me taking a lost child? I wanted to delay my meeting with him for as long as I could because after all these years of not seeing him I wasn't sure what he would look like. I wondered if he'd decided to cut his hair, before he'd been horrified by the thought but now I didn't know him anymore, had he gotten any taller? I doubted that. But what I'd secretly been asking myself was if he still loved me.

I was sure that I wouldn't like the answer. I hadn't even popped into Lissa's mind during all these years, afraid of what I might see, so I'd only been taken some darkness from her whenever I needed it to but aside from that Adrian hadn't even tried to talk to me. I understood him, after our last encounter I probably wouldn't talk to my self either.

Suddenly I realized that I hadn't finished my make up in the morning. I was supposed to look pretty today, not for Dimitri of course, maybe, but for my self because it had been a long time since I was able to get my self together.

"Where are we going?" Kitten asked and I stopped, we were right in front of a bathroom, I could go in and fix my make up real quick.

"I have to go to the bathroom and then we'll go to talk to some guardians and ask for your mommy" I told her and she brightened at the idea.

"Daddy knows that guardians!" Of course he did, which meant that he was an important Moroi. Just great.

"Ok, but first, the bathroom" She didn't complain and went in with me willingly and happier than before now knowing that we were probably close to finding her daddy or mommy, whoever was closer.

I went in and placed the little girl on the counter, beside me. She dangled her feet and hummed something as I got my make up from my purse and applied the mascara, eyeliner and red lipstick. The dark eye shadow made me look very dangerous and I smiled to the reflection in the mirror. She looked so confident and sure of everything, nothing like I felt.

I was nervous and scared of how he might react to my presence. Would he start yelling and screaming at me in front of the other guardians? He wasn't likely to lose control but after what I did to him I wasn't sure he'd be able to contain himself, and I wouldn't blame him if he didn't. I'd also been working on my self-control and actually gotten better at it. I just hoped that it would be enough.

"Are you ok?" Her voice brought me back from wonderland and I made an effort to smile at her, though it was forced I knew she wouldn't notice it.

"Yes, I'm fine" But my voice shook a little and Kitten frowned.

"You don't look fine, you stared at the mirror a while." Really? I didn't notice it. But that only meant that I would really be late to the meeting and that wasn't something good.

"I space out sometimes, but it doesn't matter" I tried avoiding her eyes as I put everything back into my bag, because that kid was way too perceptive and what was with the accent? Kids her age shouldn't have accents because it was very rare for them to speak more than one language. But this kid was special and also… I don't know. Maybe I was just going crazy, though I found my self really liking her.

"Yes it does." Her angelical voice quivered and I looked up, not meeting her gaze but looking at her sad face. I hated when kids cried or even looked like that and what was weirder was the fact that I felt a certain pull to her, as if it was my duty to protect her.

So I went to her and took her tiny hand in mine, so soft and vulnerable. "I'm fine" I murmured again.

She held onto my hand tightly, her other hand reached to my face and cupped my cheek. I found my self feeling relieved and happy, a wave of pleasure and bliss washed over me, as if I'd suddenly dived underwater and I let the amazing feeling take over my body. The whole time I couldn't help but think about the familiarity of it all, the familiar magic that I'd felt so many times when Lissa performed a healing…. No! No, no, no, no… I pulled away from her and felt… relieved, as if my emotions hadn't been over the top a second ago before she touched me.

Kitten looked at me puzzled, as if she didn't understand why I'd pulled away from her, but she was also smiling with delight. I'd seen that expression, dreaded it for a long time when it was on Lissa. This kid was a Spirit user, there was no doubt about it if she healed the pain and other agonizing feelings that had been within me.

"You're a Sprit user!" I gasped and then covered my mouth with one hand.

Kitten tilted her head to one side, "I don't know what that means but Daddy mentioned it in the morning," Then her eyes widened with horror. "Please don't tell daddy that I did it again or he'll be mad and won't come home early!" Her pleading eyes were irresistible and I found my self smiling at her.

I shook it off, she was using her charms of Spirit with me whether she knew it or not and I didn't like it. "I won't say anything, but you won't mention it, ever. Do you understand me?" she nodded.

I sighed, frustrated and twisted my short black hair into a bun, letting the rest of my hair fall down my back, it was messy but it looked good and then I put the kid back on the floor. "We have to go," I said and she nodded.

We got out of the bathroom and I looked at the clock, it was twelve fifteen already, well I was certainly going to be late so what did it matter? Dimitri already knew that I could never be anywhere on time, so I just hoped that he wouldn't mind this one time.

The moment I saw the door of the meeting room I froze. I had no idea what to do next, should I knock or just go in? Would it be too awkward if I just went in and found him staring back at me? I raised my hand and placed it on the doorknob, it was cool to the touch, just like my heart had been for the past five years, and knowing that he was just a door away made my heart race.

"Why are you so nervous? I promise that my daddy won't be mad at you. I've heard people say that he's very… mean to them but that's not true. Don't be afraid." She reached for the doorknob and we went in.

As we went in and I closed the door behind me, thirteen pairs of eyes landed on me and stared. I arched an eyebrow at them and my bad attitude kicked in to protect the vulnerable one. I smiled, a taunting and cold smile, and everyone went back to their business, which was waiting. I looked around, but didn't see Dimitri. I didn't let my disappointment show, instead I walked towards the closest guardian, but someone else said my name and I turned around.

"Rosemarie Hathaway?" It was a guy, he was tall, golden short hair and a tight smile.

"Yes?" I answered and he extended his hand, we shook hands and then let go as soon as possible. I didn't feel comfortable at all, I was already used to seeing the friendly and yet hard face of my squad back in Russia, but these guys didn't look happy to see me at all.

"Guardian Barnes, but please call me John" He clarified and tension was practically radiating off him. Maybe he knew Dimitri?

"Nice meeting you" I said flatly, not really happy, and I made sure that I had cold eyes and fake smile.

"Guardian…" But he was cut off my Kitten's squeal that relieved me.

"Daddy!" Her delight made me smile, she let go of me and ran but because my back was to the door I didn't see her daddy come in.

**I'm so grateful for the reviews! I love all of you guys so much! You are great! I will try to update soon but I might not because I have two projects, one from English, a thesis on the book The strange case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and something from World geography. I absolutely recommend Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde! I loved the story. That's easy though, what I'm worried about is geography. I've never been good with that. *sigh* hopefully everything will be alright. *cross your fingers and wish me luck***

**I also noticed that all of you want Dimitri and Rose together, be patient, I assure you that things will have a... unexpected twist. I won't say anything else because I don't want to ruin the surprise. Just think about SP reversed and something from BP, maybe even SK. Ahhhh, I'm so excited about you guys reading. And I decided to keep writing Lovely Rose with Thorns, I don't remember if I mentioned it before, but I will keep it up. Just not now.**

**Review!**


	40. Chapter 40

"**Daddy!" Her delight made me smile, she let go of me and ran but because my back was to the door I didn't see her daddy come in. **

When I turned around my blood ran cold through my veins and I wished I hadn't turned around. Because right there, Dimitri was down on one knee, hugging his daughter and for a second his gaze met mine. That was all it took to make me realize who the little girl was, she was my daughter, Kat. It was so obvious how the nickname was easily changed into Kitten.

What a fool I was and in that same second that our eyes met, something resurfaced, something that I thought lost or simply damaged by the years. The love I felt for him soared to live inside me, like a beast waking up, urging me to go forward and kiss him, because one of the many things I still had, was the ghostly feeling of his hands on my body. I knew that no matter how many years passed by, I would never forget him or any of the moments I spent with him. He didn't recognize me at first, but when he did, his eyes widened in what seemed to be horror, as if he'd suddenly seen a ghost or someone he thought was dead, gone.

Dimitri was pacing back and forth like a madman and in that moment he wouldn't have been surprised to find himself murmuring like one. In fact, he wasn't murmuring to himself, he was talking to himself mentally, trying to go over the events from five years ago because he must have missed something, anything that could explain to him why Roza, no, she wasn't his Roza anymore, now she was Rosemarie Hathaway, would be in charge of the rogue guardians that were hunting down Strigoi without any purpose at all. He couldn't understand what would drive someone to do that, it was risky, stupid and… just like Rose.

Well, it would obviously figure that she'd do something like that. But he still couldn't believe it, she had been eighteen when she must have joined, why the hell would she had been accepted into something like that? Someone must have helped her to get into that, give her the idea and then sent her over there, but whom? Or had it really been idea? She was very smart, funny beautiful and he lo… He broke that thought before it could go any further. Dimitri already had his own problems with the whole deal of his daughter being a Spirit user, he didn't need anything, or anyone, else to complicate his life. Right now Kat needed him, more than ever, and he wouldn't fail his daughter, he wasn't the type of person who failed and simply left.

So he wasn't going to worry about her anymore, she was just here for business and the she would leave again, maybe to not come back ever again, and things would go back to normal. He was really hoping it would be like that because he didn't trust himself around her. He didn't know how he'd react at the first sight of her in five years since she left. He had burned in his mind that last night they spent together, he'd had no clue of what she was planning to do the next day, he'd been utterly happy with his life like it was just to have everything taken away from him by her when she left.

Now he understood the phrase blinded by love.

It obviously hadn't been fair, but who said life was fair? And ever since he'd learned, the hard way, to not think about her anymore. She was just a bad memory he had to erase but couldn't because she had his heart, had had it since the first time he laid eyes on her. He still could try though, even if he already knew it was impossible. Her mere name was painful enough to say, and now to look at her would be a martyr a constant reminder of the betrayal he faced. He didn't know if he'd be able to see her without asking for explanations, all the unanswered questions he had, but he already knew that she probably would tell him that it was none of his business, and to certain point, it wasn't.

_So why I'm I questioning my self?_ He was asking himself. He had rules, rules that up until now he'd followed to be able to bare the suffocating feeling that overwhelmed him every time he looked at his daughter or Lissa or anybody else that had had contact with Rosemarie when he and her were together, and the rules were to avoid thinking about her, mention her name or even look at the picture that he had kept hidden safely in a box in the closet, no matter how tempting it was. Another rule was to never bring up anything in front of Kat, she didn't know anything about Rosemarie and if she did, then she would start to ask questions that it hurt him to answer, and thank god the Rose subject was forbidden in Lissa's house, whenever he wasn't there of course, and he'd been able to live with those rules these past five years and now she was back.

He was barely starting to put his heart back together after trying to get over Rose thanks to Tasha who'd remained by his side the first hard couple of months. It was thanks to her that he'd been able to stay sane and he'd fallen for her, there was doubt about that of course, but part of his heart still belonged to Rose and now he had no idea what to do. It was so true when people said that when the past collided with the present things would unquestionably go bad. Things were starting to go bad already and he hadn't seen her yet.

"What I'm I going to do?" He asked, more to himself than to the French doors he was facing with the fascinating view of a small part of court. It was night and the lights outside made the garden look stunning, but tonight not even that held his attention for long. He began pacing back and forth till he looked at the clock and realized that it was already twelve. Damn, he was going to be late.

He gathered the files and stopped short when he caught another glimpse of her picture and his hear skipped a beat. He definitely had to stop doing that, angry with himself he put them together messily, not caring if it looked bad, and was about to walk out the door when his cell phone rang. The sound made him jump a little and he ran a hand through his hair at the same time letting out a biter laugh. Being jumpy didn't help much and he was sure that he looked a mess.

"Hello?" He answered, this time remembering to sound a little nice so he wouldn't scare the messenger.

"Dimitri! Oh my goodness, she's missing! I don't know where she went…" Tasha's voice was frantic and she kept on babbling about someone missing.

"Tasha, love, calm down. What are you talking about?" He tried to keep it cool, he couldn't start yelling just because he had no idea what she was talking about. He'd never lost his temper with her, he'd forbidden himself to do so with Tasha or his daughter.

"Kat is missing!" She shrieked in the phone and he almost tripped over his own feet in the hallway on his way to the conference room. He stopped though, and tried to wrap his mind around what she just said.

"She what?" Maybe he'd heard wrong, he hoped he had.

"Kat and I went to Lissa's house but nobody was there and there was a note that Lissa had already taken her daughters outside to the garden. So we went to the garden and Kat began playing with them, and then she wasn't there anymore! We've been looking for her for about thirty minutes and we have no idea where she is." Tasha sounded very scared and on the verge of tears so Dimitri took a deep breath, already knowing the solution to the problem, because, after all, she got lost at court. He could simply go over the tapes outside and know where she was.

"Calm down, we'll find her. In fact, I'm on my way to the conference room. I'll ask one of the guardians to look for her and" He opened the door in the conference room and went inside. "I'll call you when I have her back. Don't…" But he was interrupted by a delighted squeal followed by, "Daddy!"

Dimitri looked around the room and spotted Kat running toward him, he bent down and put the files aside to embrace his daughter. The worry already went away and he was able to hug his daughter with relieve and love. She'd really scared him when he realized that she was missing. But then he lifted his gaze up and what he saw made him stop breathing. Just a couple of feet away from him stood a woman, not any woman but the famous and dangerous Roza, his Roza was standing there. But she wasn't the same, didn't look the same was better.

Her dark brown hair was now pitch black and short, she had it tied up into a messy bun that made her look so… sexy. She looked lovely, beautiful, stunning, he had no words to describe such beauty he was seeing, even if she no longer wore her hair long like he loved it. **(Pic on profile)** Her full, soft lips were crimson and the dark eyeliner in her eyes made her look fierce and, indeed, dangerous. She looked like an angel, the angel of destruction is what she was. She destroyed everything they could have shared together and for the few seconds that their gazes met it was as if time had stopped and it was just the two of them, but the moment passed quickly.

It felt like cold water being splashed onto his face the moment things started to move again. Everyone was staring at Dimitri, Kat and Rose, and they were all unaware of it. Dimitri stood up with his daughter in his arms, forgetting the bunch of papers in the floor, knowing that someone would eventually pick them up, and strode forward to Rose. She stood there, a cold and meaningless smile on her face that did not reach her eyes. _Her eyes_, he thought, _are the only thing in her that remained the same_. Though, he could not look into her eyes and tell what was going on in that head of hers, her eyes looked the same but didn't show anything anymore. They were two brown blank walls that blocked him out of her head and, therefore, her thoughts and feelings. He didn't like that one bit.

"Guardian Belikov" She greeted him, as if she was barely meeting him for the first time, and technically she was because they hadn't seen each other in five years, but it stung him. The cold and wicked tone she used was nothing like her, she had only tried to sound cold when she was confronting Strigoi or really mad, but trying was nothing compared to actually sounding cold.

"Rosemarie Hathaway in bone and flesh" He had no idea why he'd said such… cliché thing. It was nothing like him to do stuff like that, he shouldn't have answered at all but he told himself that if she wanted to play that game he could too, and better. He was going to pretend not to know her, things would be better that way and in a way he wouldn't be really playing because he had no idea who this woman was, she certainly wasn't the same Rose from five years ago. This was more like a shell. "I had no idea it was you who was leading the rogue guardians"

_Playing dumb does not suits him_, Rose thought with a smirk on her face. She followed him and sat in front of him on the rectangular table, he sat at the head of the table and looked straight at her but then his attention switched from her to Kat. She'd completely forgotten about her, how? She had no idea but suddenly she had the urge to go to her and hug her for the first time in five years. The little time she spent with her just a while ago didn't count because she'd had no idea who that little girl was but now that she knew she had to clench her hands into fists to keep herself from reaching out, even is she was all the way across the table.

Dimitri sensed Rose's need and hugged his daughter tighter but careful to not hurt her. He was certainly relieved to know that his daughter was fine and all but he didn't like the idea of having her so close to her mother. Right now, Rose was a threat to the family he'd built in the past five years. It wouldn't be wise to let Kat know that the woman in front of him was her mother because she would be leaving soon. Dimitri did not want to hurt his daughter's feelings. Things were better with Kat thinking Tasha was her real mother.

"Daddy, you know Rosemarie?" The little girl asked and Rose stared at her.

Dimitri's eyes widened a little when he heard Kat saying Rosemarie, he was a little startled to hear the name coming from his daughter's lips but at the same time amazed at how good it sounded in her lips. There was no doubt that this, indeed, was her daughter.

"No," He lied and forced a smile.

"Don't lie Dimitri" Rose chimed in, saying his name as if she were his best friend, she sounded amused and when Dimitri turned to her he was glaring and telling her to shut up with his eyes. He made sure she got the message but the smirk and bogus smile remained in place as if he wasn't there telling her to watch her mouth. "Of course we know each other." Then the inevitable happened, she turned to Kat, her face softened and she flashed the little girl a real smile. Kat returned the smile and flashed her fangs at her mother, who did not did as much as to blink in surprise. "Your daddy trained me when I was at the Academy."

Kat brightened at that and clapped her two small hands together, squealing in delight. "Really?"

"Yes, and believe me when I tell you that he showed me very good moves," The double meaning was obvious and every guardian in the room noticed it, making them want to flee the room if things got too… personal.

"Enough!" Dimitri said, trying to calm himself down. How dare she to bring up such a thing in front of Kat? That was years ago and he was surprised that she even remembered that time when things had been excellent between them. He had no business down memory lane and neither did she. Rose, on the other hand, seemed please to have gotten a reaction like that out of him in such short time that she'd been there. She leaned back in her seat, pleased with herself and wearing that annoying smirk in her face that mirrored Adrian's very much but with an extra glint of malice.

Kat jumped a little in Dimitri's arms and he regretted having scared her. He looked down at her and kissed her brow. "I'm sorry, why don't you go back to mommy? She called me and was very worried about you." He told her gently, and she shook her head alarmed.

"No, I want to stay here and make sure you come home early" She whispered in his ear. He smiled despite everything that was going on inside his head, he was feeling guiltier for making his daughter having to doubt his word that he'd be there early with her.

"Mommy is worried, and I already promised to go home early. I'll just make sure that some things," He gave Rose a sideways glance. "Are taken care of and then I'll be home."

"Fine" She sighed defeated.

Dimitri told one of the guardians to take her back to her mommy and then when Kat was finally gone he turned back to Rose. He was to get over it as soon as possible and get out of there early because he wasn't sure he'd be able to handle her. She was already getting on his nerves like she used to do when she was still a student in the Academy and he took that as a bad sign.

**Ok, so I finally updated! But I'm in so much trouble if I don't do my homework today. Can you believe that I lost my freaking binder? I mean, I know i have the memory of a goldfish but I'm not crazy and I know that i did bring it home on friday, which leads me to believe that perhaps the little demon from hell, aka my cousin, stole it. I'm seriously very worried because if i don't find my binder I'm in so much trouble. **

**anyhow, I just wanted to make sure you go to my profile and check out Rose's picture. I used to be obsessed with smallville and thought that Tom Welling is pretty hot, he is, even if he's thirty something. For those of you who watch or used to watch the show you must know that Lana also sacrificed their love in order to save many lives when she absorbed the Kriptonite and then she couldn't get anywhere near clark without hurting him. i barely watched that episode like a week ago and thought that it was a good example of love. So I decided that Rose would look very much like Lana when she came back with short dark hair.**

**I will keep putting pictures to show you guys and all that.**

**Review!**


	41. Chapter 41

Rose had watched the whole conversation between Dimitri and his, their, daughter and drew a conclusion: Kat already had a mommy and it obviously wasn't her who the guard was taking her to. She already knew who Dimitri meant without listening to him saying her name. Tasha had taken her place in his life, in her daughter's life and she loved it but at the same time hated it. She hated the easy way he'd forgotten about her and gotten into a relationship with Tasha. It had only been five years but she'd half expected him to be alone with Kat even if she'd attempted to get him together with Tasha. It hurt more than she would ever admit to herself.

"We need to talk" Dimitri said, his voice meant business around here because then the rest of the guardians took their seats.

"Is your lucky day, I'm here to talk" She replied and tilted her head to one side. "I wonder what could that be, so urgent." She tsked.

Dimitri frowned. "What have you been doing over there Rosemarie, hunting down Strigoi that are not your responsibility or the other rogue guardians?" Dimitri asked the first question that had been gnawing his insides since he learned that it had been her the one in command of the rogue guardians.

"Rosemarie?" She arched one perfect eyebrow at Dimitri. He was surprised to notice that little detail. He remembered that she'd tried to do the same thing years ago and failed, the memory almost made him smile but he snapped out of it just in time from making a fool of himself. "So I'm not Roza anymore, uh, interesting." She cupped her own chin with one hand and looked thoughtful.

But Dimitri wasn't patient anymore and wanted to get out of there as soon as possible because the nickname he'd given her was a reminder in his heart of what she'd done to him. He was too well aware of how good she looked wearing that white tank top, the way it hugged her upper chest and made her look as beautiful as he'd remembered. The way she leaned on the table and kept tapping her chin, tempting him to walk around the table and take her in his arms, to rip that thin cotton tank top from her body. Kiss her senselessly and roam her body with his hands like he used to. The urge too strong and intensifying with every second he spent in the same room with her made him breathless. So he put up his barriers and guardian mask on so she wouldn't be able to read his emotions.

"Why have you been hunting Strigoi on your own?" He repeated the question, hoping that this time she would answer so he could get out of there.

"Well," She smiled again, "I've been doing what you and these guys are afraid to do. We've actually been doing something to decrease the amount of Strigoi walking free and killing people every night." Anger crossed her features and she half stood up, smacking her hands on the table like he'd done earlier, except that this happened to be _his_ table to pound on, not hers. "WE are actually doing something besides sit here all day and make sure that that bitch of Tatiana is safe!" Around the room some gasped and some simply glared at Rose. She, however, didn't give a damn because she could not believe that Dimitri was rubbing in her face the fact that she was actually keeping the stupid Strigoi at bay from coming here and making him one of them. It didn't matter that he had no idea about that little detail, she still found it offensive.

Dimitri also stood up, glaring at her, the most awful and full of hatred glare that she'd ever seen made her flinch a little because it was coming from him to her. He'd never looked at her like that, not even when she kissed him without permission that time in the gym, he had never made her feel so small, insignificant and stupid. Dimitri was the only one, in the whole wide world, that could sweep her off her feet and let her fall down with a loud crash. He was the only one that had made her crazy and fall in love with him. But this guy, he was nothing like the Dimitri she'd known back then.

"You are out of line Rosemarie, and I cannot believe you are still so wild and disrespectful!" He exclaimed, his voice utterly blank, yet so loud.

It was the only thing he could come up with at this time because seeing her like this, so worked up and mad made him want to go to her and soothe her, to make her let go of that anger that was not good. But he was nothing of her, didn't mean anything to her, so there was no point. The only thing he could do, knowing that he didn't want anything to do with him anymore and him not wanting anything with her either, to keep himself sane and the lie up.

Something inside Rose snapped like a twig and she could almost hear the crack, almost, because she could listen the beating of her heart in her ears from how agitated she was right now. _He did not just say that!_ She screamed inside her head loud enough that she was surprised nobody else heard her. _He did not just repeat those words because if he did…_ she let that thought trail off. The anger inside her doubled up, wrapped around her like a blanket and overwhelmed her every sense. It was enough to make her blood boil as it ran through her veins, making her want to hit something, someone and right now Dimitri was her target.

Without noticing, both of them had circled the table and gotten closer to each other, face to face, she looked up at him. He was still taller than her because she hadn't grown up an inch since she last saw him. The closeness though, was familiar. After all those times that they'd been in the same position, in front of each other, she had to clench her hands into fists at her sides to keep herself from wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him because this was not the same as before. This time neither of them felt love or lust, well maybe they did, but the hatred was stronger at the moment.

"I am not out of line" She murmured menacingly but he didn't even flinch.

"Yes you are, after all these years and you still can't control yourself" He didn't see it coming, even though his reflexes were just as good as hers, he just felt it. The punch she directed at him snapped his head sideways and left her hand aching because that had come out very wrong. She was going to get a hell of a bruise by tomorrow if she hadn't broken anything that is.

Dimitri hadn't expected something like that, hadn't seen it coming, but when he felt it his anger soared back to life. But he was able to keep it safely tucked under his guardian mask and when he turned to look at her he saw how Rose stood there, smiling. An evil glint in that smile that caused him to want to do many things to her, not just in battle but in bed also. He tried to tell himself to calm down, that she wasn't worth the bother and that she was just playing with him, like she'd done five years ago when she left. But it was useless, deep in his heart he knew that she was worth it, hell, he'd probably humiliate himself in front of her if she'd only say that she still loved him. That was not likely, though.

"Still fighting for control I see" Rose threw her head back and laughed.

He was, indeed, fighting for control but he didn't show it, or at least he'd thought he wasn't, but apparently she still could read him.

"Out!" He said, one word and it was enough to shut her up. Her glare did not affect him at all anymore, he knew her too well, knew that under that anger and sarcasm she was still the same girl he'd met six years ago. Only this time she was older, more beautiful and powerful. With only one look at her and he'd known that she'd made progress with the training and killings she'd done.

Rose glared at him, tried not to flinch and smiled again, the smile made Dimitri angrier, she knew it, which is why she did it. "'Kay!" With that she took a step back, then another one closer and leaned closer to him and murmured in his ear. His body tensed and was about to pull away from her when he heard her threatening voice. "Remember what I said in my letter Dimitri, I said that I was coming back one day for my daughter. That day has arrived." Without saying anything else she spun around and walked out the door.

**RPOV**

Standing in front of Dimitri once again had been one of the hardest things that I'd had to do in my life. He hadn't changed much, he only looked a bit older, and I hadn't expected any less because I didn't look the same either. I was pleased with his reaction to my newly black, shiny short hair but really, he looked way better. I could barely contain my self in there and as I walked the gardens of court, breathing some air that I needed with urgency, I tried to calm my throbbing heart. It had been agonizing to see him again, looking at me with those deep brown eyes, and seeing only resentment and probably hatred instead of love and lust./

Things had changed so much. I hadn't wanted to face it when I was on my way here, I tried to make my self believe that Dimitri would be here, waiting for me with his arms wide open to welcome me back. But I'd been so wrong. He hadn't been expecting me, obviously, and he was also shocked to see me back. Question was, why? Hadn't anyone told him about it, that I was coming here to discuss with him and the other guardians about the risk of an attack from Strigoi? Well, it wasn't that surprising. Maybe Tatiana hadn't wanted him or anybody else to know about it.

Whatever the case was, I wanted to be with my daughter the little time I would spend here before returning to Europe. Dimitri couldn't deny me that! Yes, he was the father, but I was still Kat's mother and like I'd reminded him just minutes ago, I'd promised to come back and I wanted her. I wouldn't take her with me, I would never risk her life that way, but I'd said that I wanted her back so Dimitri would be more alert with her. There were Strigoi coming here, if they weren't here already, waiting in some dark place to attack, and he needed to take precautions.

I had no idea what to do. I had nowhere to go, it was too early to go back to my room and the night, with its full moon, was extremely beautiful, which was why I'd decided to stay outside. I sat on the nearest bench and tried to relax. It was impossible though. I had every nerve in my body ready to sprint and attack, kill. I hadn't found any peace in the last five years, why should it return to me out of nowhere? After all, I was here to make him understand the grave danger he was in without telling him anything about how I knew it. He wouldn't understand anyways, he was a dickhead, stubborn like hell and overprotective.

I closed my eyes and wished that I could go back to my happy time, when I was still Dimitri's number one priority, when we were still happily in love with each other. But I couldn't, I couldn't change anything that I did in the past and make him love me again. I couldn't stop loving him though, he knew that, maybe not after what he read in that letter that certainly broke his heart. I'd seen it, the moment his world began to shatter in front of him, and because of me. Adrian had showed me to persuade me to tell him the real reason behind my departure. But I'd managed to lie to him, telling him almost the same thing I'd written in the letter and even though he hadn't been convinced at all, he'd let it go. I was grateful for the fact that ever since he hadn't visited my dreams anymore. I recalled listening to him say that Dimitri had forbidden him to do it. Another proof of the fact that Dimitri let me go too easily, that he'd forgotten about me.

But I still loved him, with all my heart, even if he didn't anymore. He had his reasons, proof that I said that I didn't love him anymore because if my leaving hadn't convinced him or the latter the fact that I didn't communicate with anybody in the past five years must have made him realize that I didn't care about him anymore. I did though, very much. I did care about my daughter and him. I hadn't left because I wanted to but because Tatiana forced me to. If it had been for me I would have stayed at home to enjoy my life with Dimitri and Kat, _but that was the past_, I reminded my self. With all the regret in the world that I'd been carrying in my shoulders for the pas five years, I, at least, deserved one opportunity to make things right. How? I had no idea, neither did I really wanted to try because I would be leaving again very soon.

Except that that didn't feel right, I didn't really want to leave anymore having seen my daughter who I loved. She was why I left, because I hadn't wanted her to be raised by the Academy with her parents either dead, killed by Strigoi, or in jail. She deserved better, she deserved someone like Dimitri who I knew would love her unconditionally even if she was almost an exact copy of the woman Dimitri loved and had left. I'd known all along that he would be a good father, he was, I'd seen it in his eyes the moment he saw Kat, probably thinking that she was missing. He was a great father, a loving and protective one. So I knew I'd done a great job by leaving her with him.

I still couldn't shake the feeling of loneliness. I wanted to talk to somebody about it, explain my self and get it out of my system but I knew better than anyone else that it was a bad idea because one way or the other, Tatiana would know and only god knows what she'd do. I didn't want to risk Dimitri, he was ok without me and my damn problems. There was one person I really wanted to see, very badly, and it was Lissa. I wanted to believe that she wouldn't hate me, that she'd forgive me for what I did and be my friend again without asking any questions, I knew her better though. Lissa would start asking questions the moment I crossed the threshold and I wasn't so sure of being able to spill my darkest secret to her because what if she didn't understand?

Torn between going to Lissa's house to talk to her and keeping my mouth shut, I felt like crap. Tatiana had too much power in my life, she was taking advantage of it and I didn't like it one bit. I stood up and began walking to the near building that I knew was where Lissa lived. Tatiana hadn't said anything about not talking to Lissa and what if she realized that I'd talked to someone, it wasn't like I was planning on telling everything to Lissa. I only wanted to be and talk with her, like we used to do before.

I went into the building and asked the lady in the front to tell me which suite was Lissa's, she politely told me where to go and when I got there I simply stood there. I had my hand raised, ready to knock and yet I couldn't do it, it was as if something was holding me back. The guilt, knowing that there was still that small possibility of being rejected by yet another important person in my life. I didn't want to see the same expression I'd seen in Dimitri's face on Lissa. She was way too important and if she had the same expression then that meant that I would never be welcome among them anymore, mainly because Lissa was the most compassionate of all.

Then, so suddenly that I had to take a step back, the door opened and a very startled Lissa stood there. My breath caught in my throat and I was unable to form any words, she just stood there, looking me up and down as if she couldn't recognize me or know whether she should believe her eyes. I guess that it was kind of like that stupid and lame story in the bible, the one about the son that went back with his family after seeing his mistakes or running out of money, I didn't remember that good but it was as close as this situation was.

Within seconds I found my self in Lissa's embrace and I was hugging her back. It felt good, to know that at least she wasn't yelling at me and when we pulled away I noticed the tears running down both of our faces so we went inside because neither of us wanted to make a spectacle of ourselves.

I took a seat and Lissa sat next to me, we were both facing each other. I just hoped that her sympathy would last long enough for me to tell her how sorry I was without spilling the truth.

"Rose…" she began and I already knew what she would ask next.

**Ok, so this is a good chapter, don't you think? Please review.**

**I will post a new story. This is the summary and its set during Shadow kiss too.**

**Rose was in the cabin with Dimitri, then, out of nowhere, she finds herself having an out of body experince. Rose is following her body around as the attack happens and she keeps trying to change what her body is doing, but she can't. She can only watch as everyone around her die, including Dimitri. She watches as he dies at the caves and she can't do anything to stop it. but then Mason gives her the opportunity to go back to certain time and change things but she has to choose the perfect time that will let her save everyone. If she fails the concequences could be worse than she can imagine. Will she be able to choose the right moment and save everyone else? What will she lose? what will she gain? Will she be able to be with Dimitri after all?**

**I know that you might be getting tired of me talking and writing about Shadow Kiss and all but I just had this amazing idea and decided to write it. Is better than it sounds. Vote on my poll for the name of the story please. If you don't review telling me if you like it, or vote on the poll I won't update for a while.**

**Review!**


	42. I Love you Maybe

"Rose…" she began and I already knew what she would ask next.

"Please, Liss just listen to me, listen to my apologies." The tears fell down my cheeks. "I'm sorry ok? I should have never done what I did and it was the stupidest, most selfish and reckless thing I've ever done in my entire life. But I wouldn't change it even if I could because it's the only way to…" I stopped, knowing that I'd already said too much.

I looked up and saw Lissa looking at me, struggling with herself on whether she should ask me or not, whether I would tell her the truth. If I could I would. "Please tell me why" she murmured and put her hand over mine in a gesture that was meant to be encouraging but I found it more soothing. She didn't hate me, it was good right? "I've always known that you didn't leave because you wanted to, I know it and I just want the truth." She wouldn't like it, probably wouldn't believe it. "Why did you do it?"

I opened my mouth, ready to tell her everything when the image if someone taking Dimitri away from my daughter to throw him in jail came to my mind and shut me up. Tatiana would find out about this, no matter what I did, she would find out and I didn't matter that much, Kat hadn't even recognized me when I found her, but she would mind if Dimitri was taken away from her. I couldn't let anything tear Dimitri apart from Kat.

"I can't" I murmured, looking down again.

"Rose, tell me. I can help you, look; I'll talk to the queen…" I looked up and almost glared at her.

"No!" I yelled and she flinched.

"Then tell me, please" She pleaded again and this time I was completely drained of energy, I had nothing else to do but tell her. I knew I could trust her, I knew she wouldn't betray me and, after all, she was still my best friend and probably the only one that didn't wish I hadn't been born.

"Fine" I said, defeated. "But you have to promise me that you won't say anything to anybody, much less Dimitri." Lissa looked like she wanted to argue and I was grateful when she didn't because I really wanted to let it all out and she was the only one I trusted at the moment. So when she nodded I decided to begin. It was hard, to finally say everything after five years of keeping it to my self but it had to be done, so I took a deep breath and began. "Remember the day Kathryn was born?" A small smile formed in her lips and she nodded. "The same day that the Queen visited me?" This time I didn't wait for an answer, I went on knowing that she did remember. "She already knew that Kathryn wasn't Adrian's and she said that she would put me and Dimitri in jail for lying at Victor's trial…" Lissa cut me off.  
"What? She couldn't do that, she…" she shut up knowing that she could have done that.

"She said that she would send Dimitri and me to jail, send Kathryn away from all of us to be raised at an Academy where she would never know about us. I didn't want my daughter to be alone, without any of us to take her of her, and I told her that. I told her that I would never be able to leave Dimitri and Kat, that I loved but then she gave more news. She said that the attack at the academy hadn't been a coincidence and that Strigoi were after Dimitri, it was true, I knew it because Galina told me when she kidnapped me. I went away to protect Dimitri and Kat, to protect Adrian and Viktoria too because The Queen threatened to separate them. Lissa, the whole time I was at home after that I was miserable knowing that soon I wouldn't be there for him and my daughter… I… didn't mean to leave." By the time I was done I was sobbing uncontrollably, shaking and Lissa embraced me, she was also crying.

We stayed there for a while, both of us crying and sobbing. I felt… free… almost because I knew that I would never be able to tell Dimitri the true and therefore, he would always hate me. I hated that, the fact that Dimitri would never know the truth and probably never let me see my daughter again. Lissa was the only ally I had, she was everything I had. Finally, we were able to pulled away a little, I put my head on her lap and she stroke my hair like when we were back at the Academy, I wished it was just another afternoon after classes and Lissa and I were only talking about the next party we would attend.

"Rose, I had no idea… if I would have known… why didn't you tell me? Together we would have been able to figure it out and maybe…" I cut her off, the 'what if?' was hurting me too much.

"Lissa, I couldn't. I was only protecting Dimitri and my daughter, I did, they are both save and I'm ok with that." I said, trying to sound confident.

Lissa stayed silent for a while, when she spoke she sounded sadder than ever. "He married Tasha" She murmured and I felt the stinging pain my heart because up until now I hadn't heard anybody actually say it, hadn't hear him say it and even though I'd already guessed that on my own, it hurt when Lissa confirmed it. I let the tears fall down freely, not caring about the fact that I hadn't cried in five years, not after the first night I spent at Russia. All I cared about was the fact that I had Lissa by my side.

"I know, I know." I said.

"We have to tell him," I froze, she couldn't tell him.

"No, Liss, don't you understand that if we tell him then everything I did, the years away from him, were in vain. Tatiana would know about it and then she would send Dimitri to jail. I don't matter in Kat's life, but Dimitri does, I saw them both this morning and she loves him."

Lissa's eyes widened. "You saw them?" She asked.

"Yes, I found Kat and brought her to the conference room where Dimitri sent her to Tasha. I didn't know it was my daughter till she called Dimitri 'daddy'" I smiled a little at that, Dimitri looked very much like a 'daddy' now, he even acted like one. "Lissa, you should have seen her face when she saw him, she looked really happy" I pulled away and leaned back on the sofa.

"I know she loves him like crazy. Those two are so much alike that sometimes I wonder if Dimitri was like that as a kid." She shook her head with a small smile.

"Does…" I hesitated, how was I supposed to ask this? "Does she know Tasha is not her mother?" I asked and looked at her in the eyes to know if she would lie when I asked.

"No" My stomach clenched and I had to remind my self that it was better that way. "That's why she calls her mommy," That I was expecting. "But I guess that if she was told she wouldn't recognize you because you dyed your hair black and cut it." She caressed my hair and then withdrew her hand.

I touched my hair instinctively and sighed, I'd done that because I was looking for a change. I wanted to look at someone else in the mirror instead of my self and the color black definitely suited my mood. Not to mention how much work it used to take me to get my hair done when I had it long, short was so much easier. At the time it had sounded like a good idea, but now that I'd seen Dimitri's expression... I wasn't so sure anymore. "Yes, I guess that's why but even if she had Dimitri would have made some sort of excuse to put her against me." I said looking down again.

"I don't thinks so, Dimitri would never take her away from you" I wasn't so sure about that anymore, the look in his eyes when he saw me was almost pure hatred and nothing that I could say would change his mind. Maybe if I said what I couldn't say… but that was out of question because I'd already made up my mind of keeping that as my secret.

"It doesn't matter. All I want to do is spend some time with her before going away again."

"You are leaving?" she gasped and I turned to her with an apologetically look.

"Yes, I have to" but I didn't sound as convinced or determined as I'd been in the morning before seeing and talking to Dimitri and Kat. I wasn't so sure if I'd be able to leave after seeing both of them.

"Rose, it's not too late, you can still get him back and stay…" I cut her off.

"Is he happy, with Tasha?" My question caught her off guard and she took her time to answer.

"Yes" I nodded, already knowing that. Even before I knew I had to leave I already knew hat if I'd never met him he would have ended up with her.

"I can't take that away from him and you just confirmed the fact that my daughter is also happy with her." That shut her up. "All I can do now is stay away from Dimitri and try to get close to my daughter the little time I'll spend here without letting her know who I am." Lissa was going to argue again but I raised my arm and stopped her. "I have to go"

"Rose, you just got here and I haven't seen you in years, please stay longer" I shook my head.

"I can't, I have… stuff to do." I didn't have absolutely anything to do but I needed some space and time to think about what I just found out and wasn't planning on staying around anybody.

Lissa stood up after I did and followed me to the door. I gave her a hug to console but I think I needed it more than she. She hugged me back and then kissed my cheek, I really needed someone's support so I didn't complain.

"Please come for dinner tomorrow night" I started to shake my head, I didn't want to confront Christian, but then I remembered that I hadn't been around anyone I knew in a long time so I nodded. Besides, what could go wrong? I'd have dinner with her, meet her daughters that I was sure would be just as adorable as Lissa was and then everything would be all right.

"Ok, I'll come" She nodded enthusiastically.

We said hi and then I was on my way back to my room in the guest's house. This time I didn't feel as bad as before but I couldn't stop thinking about Dimitri, he looked so handsome and… everything. Dimitri hadn't changed that much except that he looked a little older, just a little that she wouldn't have noticed it if she hadn't been standing so close to him. His hair was the same, his features and personality but his eyes… there was something in them that I didn't like at all.

I was going to find out what was wrong with him and use that excuse to see my daughter. He couldn't' deny me that right.

As soon as he walked in he was received with a big hug from Kitten. She jumped in his arms and wrapped her arms around his neck with a big smile on her face and a squeal. "Daddy!" She said.

"I told you I'd be home early Kitten." Dimitri murmured in her ear.

He walked over to the living room where Tasha was putting away some clothes she'd bought for Kat. Tasha forced a smile when he walked in and took the stuff back to Kat's room. She didn't feel like looking at him, talking to him, anything because she knew that soon, it would all end. She'd been living a lie the past five years, to think that he was hers had been a big mistake, though in the back of her mind the possibility of her coming back and getting him back had always been there. Tasha had wanted to be happy with Dimitri, she loved him with all her heart, she loved Kat like a daughter because she'd been raising her since Rose left and she didn't hate or resent Rose.

In fact, Tasha had refused to lie to Kat about who was her mother in the first place because she liked Rose very much, she'd been one of the bravest people she'd ever met and in a way she was grateful. Since if she hadn't left she would have never gotten a chance with Dimitri. It had bothered her that after trying very hard when she had seen Dimitri with Rose she still had feelings for him, she'd fought them with all she had, even tried to make things work between her and Adrian, but her heart belonged to Dimitri.

And when she'd finally given up and only tried to be his friend, Rose left and Dimitri was heart broken. Tasha helped him with Kat, spent nights with her when Dimitri had to work and one night, so suddenly she realized how that would look to anybody else who'd seen her hanging around Dimitri. Everybody knew she'd once asked him to be her guardian and that might as well hade been a marriage proposal, many knew she had feelings for him and she wasn't trying to win him back.

Tasha told Dimitri that she had to keep some distance from him, that what she was doing wasn't ok but he was stubborn.

**I will post ASAP, Promise. I love y'all, really and always enjoy reading your reviews, so keep reviewing. Please tell me what you think about the summary of the story I put in the last chapter and VOTE on my Poll so I know what title you like. I will keep posting if you VOte on my poll. I need to know if you'd like me to post another story or not. **

**I have more news. Right now I will post a new chapter in Lovely Rose With Thorns. I bet ya didn't see that one comin, did ya?**


	43. Crush, crush, crush

**Tasha told Dimitri that she had to keep some distance from him, that what she was doing wasn't ok but he was stubborn.**

*****Flash, back*****

"I don't think that I'm the one that should be taking care of Kat." Tasha mentioned one night, looking down at the baby in her crib. It had been about a year since Rose left, Dimitri only went to work and came back home, barely murmuring his goodbyes and hellos, moping around and spending most of his free time with Kat. Before his relationship with Tasha started he was a walking zombie who only woke up to take care of Kat and moved because he had to not because he wanted to.

Dimitri's heart had been brutally removed from his chest by Rose, he had his daughter, who he loved so much, as reminder of what had been done to him, add that the anger and pain he'd felt. The betrayal and pain just wouldn't go away, the anger and hurt clouded his mind like a dense fog and the black hole that was in his heart's place hurt so much. He couldn't bare thinking about her, it hurt so much that he could barely breathe and had wanted to simply die or to be swallowed by the earth, anything, just to stop the pain. But he had a daughter to take care of so he couldn't give up so easily.

If it hadn't been for Tasha's constant support and help he would have given up. Which was why he liked to have her around, she was the only one he could bare to have around. Anyone else, especially Lissa, reminded him too much of Rose and made him very irritable. Tasha didn't say sorry every five minutes, she didn't try to cheer him up, which was the reason why he liked to have her around. Neither did she ever mention Rose in the least indicated moment. Tasha acted like… Tasha. She was brave, funny and not optimistic enough to say that she was a pain in the butt. She only talked to him about Kat, what she'd done while he was at work, what she liked, how much she'd missed her daddy. The ground where Tasha stood was safe to walk on, without any bumps with Rose's name.

Tasha had become his sustain and something else because without noticing, Dimitri had become more open to her than he'd ever been before. He'd talked to her without worrying, so easy that he might as well have been talking to himself. In his worst moments when he was about to crumble she would come in and sit beside him. She would tell him that Kat needed him, that he was more than capable of getting through something like this because she was with him and would help in everything she could.

And that night, when she mentioned the fact that she might be leaving because she wasn't the best person to take care of his daughter he'd immediately denied that with as much calm as he could master. He'd already gotten used to having her around and he wasn't going to give her up so easily. He would fight for her no matter what.

"Of course you are the right person, you are the only one I would ever trust with my daughter" He caressed Kat's cheek with his thumb and then straightened to face Tasha.

Tasha sighed and gathered her courage. "I'm not—well I'm—"

"Don't start talking nonsense like the others, you know how much that bothers me" He turned away with a frown and sat on the rocking chair beside the window. He looked up at the sky that was bright with stars that shone and illuminated the room.

Tasha couldn't look away from him, he looked so handsome and brooding that way, irresistible, and she felt the need to console and help him. She couldn't bring herself to lie to him, that's exactly what she'd been planning to do because the truth was too embarrassing to admit. But now, seeing how much he needed her, she had to either tell him the truth or stay and never mention it again even if that would mean to look away every time someone mentioned the fact that she was rebound girl.

She closed her eyes and clenched her hands into fists before opening her mouth to tell him the truth because she certainly wouldn't pretend she didn't know about the fact that some thought of her as a slut. She wasn't trying to seduce Dimitri at all, she just wanted to help and spend any time she could with him, even if it wouldn't go any further than that. "People are starting to think that I'm taking advantage of the fact that Rose is not here to… be with you" She finally said and then cursed herself for being such a wimp. She was no longer a teenager to behave like that, she was a grown woman talking to a grown man.

"Oh" Was all he said and then, without Tasha noticing, he moved silently and stood in front of her.

When she opened her eyes he was standing right in front of her and her heart almost jumped out of her chest. He was looking at her with…. Love? She was going crazy, to think that he would ever see her like that, ha! Her eyes were playing tricks on her, he wasn't leaning down or closing the distance between their lips and he certainly wasn't smiling. In the past couple of months not even Kat had been able to get him to smile, just a twitch of his lips and that was all. But now? Well, he was certainly smiling and his hands were on her hips, bringing her closer to him, pressing her against his body in a way that friends wouldn't do.

"What are you doing?" She asked breathlessly, unable to believe that he was serious.

Dimitri's smile faltered. "I don't care what anyone thinks" She almost died with disappointment because even though she already knew that nothing would ever happen between them, she'd gotten her hopes up. "I only care what I think" she almost groaned, why did he had to be so difficult? Couldn't he just say everything in one sentence?

"And what is that that you think?" Heleaned a little bit closer.

"I think that they are wrong because if anyone is taking advantage of the other is me" Tasha frowned, what does that mean? She asked herself.

"I don't understand." He almost rolled his eyes.

"Then let me show you" She was about to ask something else when he finally closed the distance between them and kissed her. His lips pressed against hers and she kissed him back like she'd been meaning to do since she met him. The kiss didn't last long, and when they pulled away Dimitri stared at her as if he didn't know what had happened.

"Dimitri…" she began but was cut off by him.

"I know, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that because I can't ask anything like this from you. I—" then it was her turn to kiss him, she had to shut him up before he would say something stupid.

"On second thought, I don't care what anyone else says" She said and he smiled again.

*****End Flashback*****

That's pretty much how their relationship started and then, three years after that Dimitri popped up the question and she said yes. The wedding wasn't anything big, well it was because Lissa planned it and everyone already knew what to expect: the best.

And unlike they'd been thinking, nobody mentioned anything about the fact that they were together. People forgot about Rose, that she'd been even there and had been with Dimitri because not many had known about her and him. Dimitri was grateful for that, and also because he hadn't heard anything about her in a long time. But he couldn't help himself and he worried, he still loved her, there was no doubt because otherwise he wouldn't have still been missing her or anything and he would feel his heart again. Correction, he did have one, but not the same. It was as if Tasha had started to build a new one for him and that heart was only designed to love her. He did love her, very much in fact, but it was a different kind of love. He didn't have to explain his reasons as to why her to anybody, nobody asked, he didn't have to work as hard to make it work with Tasha. He had everything figured out and no doubt about the fact that things would definitely work out.

As time went by, everyone bought the story that Kat was Tasha's daughter and he was the stepdad because Moroi and Damphir couldn't have another Moroi but it didn't matter as long as nobody said anything. He was ok with it, he was more than ok with his relationship with Tasha but he still thought about Rose daily so he decided that he had to forget about her, the pain became resentment as he watched his daughter grow up without her, even if Tasha was there. It had been Tasha's idea to let Kat know that she wasn't her real mother but Dimitri had refused.

In any way, Kat called Tasha 'mommy' because she didn't know the truth. Tasha was the only mother Kat had ever known.

But the moment Tasha went back after telling Kat how wrong it had been of her to leave like that and Kat mentioned Rose, Tasha tried to prepare herself for the moment that she'd dreaded the most. Rose was back, Kat had seen her even if she didn't know who she really was, then it was just a matter of time before Dimitri would come inside with Rose trialing behind him to claim her daughter and tell Tasha that he was back with Rose because he loved her.

She'd been thinking about that since Kat got home and when Dimitri finally arrived, alone, she thought better of it and promised herself that she wouldn't cry or anything if in just a couple of hours Rose came in. She was expecting Rose anyway, whether it was to see her daughter or reclaim Dimitri, she knew that Rose would show up eventually and she wouldn't deny her anything.

She promised herself that, she'd also promised not to cry but when she saw Dimitri she felt like she was about to cry, which was why she forced a smile and decided that it was time to put Kat's clothes in her room. She only needed that excuse.

Tasha stayed in the room for a good while and heard Dimitri talking and laughing with Kat in the living room, the TV on and she could almost see Kat on her Dad's lap with a wide smile.

That night they had dinner like always, nothing out of the ordinary happened, nobody touched the dangerous topic till Kat, after listening to the name Rose on TV, brought it up. Dimitri froze, fork in mid air with a broccoli about to go into his mouth, and stared at his daughter in horror. He'd been expecting her to have forgotten about her already, but she wouldn't of course because she was now her heroine for finding her and returning her safely to her father. Tasha simply looked up at Kat; she'd been expecting her to talk about her because during the whole afternoon she'd been quiet about it and with an eerie calmness that even surprised her, she smiled.

"Rosie is the one that found me Mommy" Kat repeated with a smile, Dimitri quickly recomposed and cleared his throat.

He knew, without even looking at Tasha how much the mention of Rosemarie hurt her, it certainly hurt him, and he decided that he didn't like the fact that his daughter was mentioning Rosemarie. _Kat won't spend any time in presence of that woman_, he thought, determined to keep that promise because after all she would be leaving soon. Well, as soon as things were cleared up about the killings in Europe.

"Her name is Rosemarie" He clarified flatly, stuffing the piece of broccoli in his mouth.

"I know, but Rosemarie is too long" The little girl complained with a groan. "I like better Rosie." Then she thought better about it and came up with a better nickname. "What about Marie? That sounds cute" Dimitri did not think that _Marie_ was cute, he thought it was… well, he wouldn't even say it.

"You can call her whatever you want sweetie" Tasha said forcing a smile and Dimitri looked at her with surprise.

"I hope I see her again soon, do you know if she'll still be here tomorrow daddy?" He couldn't lie to Kat, it was wrong, which is why he forced himself to swallow the tasty broccoli, that suddenly felt like sandpaper on his mouth, and told her as close to the truth as he could go without actually giving her hope of seeing her again because he wouldn't allow it.

"I don't know, maybe" Kat pouted and he was about to say something else when the phone rang. He almost smiled and thanked God for that.

"I'll get it" He said and got up to answer it before anyone could protest. "Hello?"

**Who is calling? Man, I'm so nervous. I guess you are too. but I will keep my mouth shut about this chapter. sometimes I give away too much. Anyhow, I will update ASAP and I just wanted to tell you that you are almost catching up with me where I stopped writing, which means that if you catch up then it will take ma some time to update. I have school and a bunch of homework, therefore, I won't be able to write so soon. but I promise that this weekend I will sit down and type some more, if I dont have much homework.**

**Also, Not many of you have voted on the name of the story I will post soon. I'll leave you another a Preview so you get interested.**

**Rose had just lost her virginity to the man she loved, in a cabin nonetheless, and then she finds herself put of here body. In this out of body experience she experiences the most tragic thing. The Academy is attacked, her body is running around risking her life and Dimitri's when she decides to go on that rescue mission, which is suicidal. She realizes all the mistakes she's made her whole life, which is to protect Moroi who do not think twice to risk a Damphir's life for theirs and her best friend refuses to heal Guardian Belikov if he is alive. All of this upsets her greatly. What would she have done differently if she'd been warned about this attack? And will she be able to save everyone when she's suddenly given the opportunity to go back in time to warn them about the attack, or will she choose the wrong moment and face worse concequences?**

**Vote on my poll to select the name of this story. I'm co-writing it with Talkygirl, she's awesome. Next is her own summary:**

**Every thing the same as the first three books but things could change, right? Can the past be switched, What if Rose is given the chance? What would she change? Are the ghosts on her side? Will anything more happen? Will things be left behind when the wind might have just settled? Love, war, friendship and lives are at stake. New gifts will be awarding and blindness will take effect. Are you interested on going on the journey with us? Read more later on.**

**I hope that this has tickled your fancy! Hope that you will vote because the more you vote and review, the sooner I will update.**

**Don't forget to go ahead and read Lovely Rose With Thorns, which I'll update next.  
**


	44. From bad to worse

"**I'll get it" He said and got up to answer it before anyone could protest. "Hello?"**

"Dimitri, this is Lissa" Dimitri smiled, she was planning something and he could tell without even looking at her.

"At what time is the party or whatever you're planning this time?" He teased and he heard Lissa let out a small laugh that sounded a little nervous.

"How did you know I was calling for that?"

"Well, if you would have wanted to talk to Tasha in private, you would have called her cell and if it was something really important concerning security, you would have called at my cell. You only call here when is something concerning me and Kat." Despite the rough day he'd had, he laughed.

"Yeah, I think you know me too well," After a second she sobered up. "Dinner's at seven tomorrow night."

"May I ask what the occasion is?" He asked, still smiling.

This time she laughed. "You still have to ask? What's with you men that you can't remember anything besides yourselves?" He had no idea what she was talking about because he certainly never forgot anything.

"I don't know, that's still a mystery for science" He tried to joke, it wasn't the first time and it came easily.

"And for woman" She replied with a laugh. "But you have to be kidding me about the date, is your wedding anniversary." He almost dropped the phone. Was she serious? He couldn't have forgotten that, if he did… oh god, what had he done now? He couldn't have forgotten something as important as that! He wrecked his brain for the date, his wedding anniversary was two weeks before Kitten's birthday and that was… he looked at the calendar hanging on the wall, indeed, that was two weeks away.

He'd forgotten about that because of the stupid meeting with… Rosemarie, even if he hadn't known it was her who he was going to see. He hadn't bought anything yet, he needed some more time.

"Of course I remembered" He said, trying to make it sound like he had.

"Hmm, yeah, well, that's none of my business but don't come knocking on my door when Tasha kicks you out for forgetting it. I assure you that Christian won't be happy if you make Tasha unhappy." She was serious of course and he could scratch Christian from the list of who to call when _I need to buy a gift for my wife_ because he would eventually go and tell Tasha he'd forgotten. No wonder why she was so quiet.

"I'll keep that in mind and I'll see you at your place at seven."

"Great, bye"_ She hung up and bit her lip. She knew very well that what she was doing was very wrong, I mean, who would try to hook up her Best Friend with her ex on his wedding anniversary with _another_ woman who she happened to like and who also happened to be her mother-in-law? _I'm a monster_, the thought with guilt. But she knew that if she didn't do it then Rose and Dimitri would never be together and she was sure that even if he wouldn't admit it, Dimitri still loved Rose. _

_Lissa saw it every time he looked at his daughter, which wasn't as creepy as it sounded._

Dimitri went back to the table and only found Kat there. She was getting up from the table with her plate empty. He could have sworn she'd still had had left about three more. She hated broccoli, so how come she ate them without complaining?

"I'm done daddy" she said, putting her plate in the sink.

He looked at his plate and noticed that he had three extra broccolis on his plate. He smiled, despite the fact that he found that amusing rather than wrong.

"Hmm, look at that, I only had one broccoli left before and now I have three, where did the extra ones came from?" He motioned for his plate but he was looking at Kat who instead of avoiding his eyes, looked at him right in the eye.

"Maybe you are right, or maybe you are just saying that so you won't eat your broccoli. Hmm, wonder what mommy would say about that" He'd been expecting her to say something more her age, like: I don't know. But not this because what she just said was exactly what Rose, Rosemarie, he corrected himself for the millionth time, would have said.

"I—I think is time for you to go to bed. Brush your teeth and put on your PJ's." He said.

"Won't you finish reading me the story?" He'd forgotten about that too but he nodded even if he was tired.

"Yes, but go change first" She ran to her bedroom and shut the door.

Dimitri rinsed his plate and Kat's and then put them in the dish washer. He left the kitchen and knocked on Kat's door, she said to come in and when he did, he found her on the bed already, holding the book. He was rather surprised for the fact that instead of wanting the usual stupid books with pictures, she liked the western novels he used to read. He only let her read the ones that were appropriate but she was ok with it.

Sometimes, when he had nothing else to do, he'd sit on the sofa and read. It wouldn't be long after that that Kat would eventually ask to sit on his lap and beg him to read her what was on the book. That's how the whole deal of a bed time story began; he still read to her during the day whenever he could.

He began reading and in just a couple of minutes she fell asleep. He guessed that it might have been because of the long day she had, beginning with the fact that she must have been really scared when Rosemarie found her. Despite his struggle not to, he closed his eyes and pictured her, she looked exactly he same and he flinched. He could almost imagine Rosemarie staring back at him, her eyes had that twinkle of dark humor and at the same time the innocence of someone her age even though she'd witnessed some horrible things. He'd fallen in love with her for her fierceness, her boldness and at the same time her innocence. She was so beautiful, breath-taking and he loved her… as soon as the thought crossed his mind he snapped out of it and found himself smiling.

He frowned and made a disgusted sound.

"You can't come back expecting me to greet you with open arms." He let out a breath. "I'm talking to my self." He massaged his temples. "I'm going crazy."

He kissed Kat's forehead and then left the room. When he went in he saw Tasha on the bed, the covers all the way up to her chin and her back to him. Maybe she found out that he forgot their anniversary and she was mad. He sighed and changed into his pajama bottoms, only that, and climbed into bed. He hesitated on whether he should put his arm around her or not, he finally decided that he should but she didn't even seem to notice it.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he hovered over her.

Tasha only stared at him, as if she couldn't believe he was still there and he was confused as to why she was acting that way.

"I love you" she felt like she needed to say it and when he smiled, she almost felt better, almost.

"I love you too" He replied and kissed her.

Somehow she found herself testing the kiss for any flaw, was he kissing her the same as always, was he holding back? Was there something even wrong with the kiss in the first place? She decided to forget about it and kiss him while she still could. She wrapped her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss as if it were the last because she had no idea how long it would last.

Dimitri knew there was something wrong in the way Tasha was acting, she usually wasn't so quiet or cold with him. She talked to him, kissed him with such a love and for a second he found her movements almost… calculated, measured. There was something very wrong but he ignored it because he found himself thinking of Her. He had no idea why she popped into his mind at this exact moment when he was with Tasha. He hadn't thought about her when he was in bed with Tasha, ever, that was very… discourteous of him and yet, he didn't stop himself this time.

He went along with it. He imagined this was Rose, his Roza, instead of Tasha who he was kissing and caressing. He found himself wanting her to be Roza, he longed for her more than ever and he had no idea why. Since she left he hadn't felt anything toward her besides resentment and maybe even hatred, then why had it changed like that? Was it because he saw her today, after five years he hadn't been able to forget her or stop loving her at least.

Rose had remained in his mind all these years, even when he decided to move on without her. It had been because of his daughter that he didn't give up, but also for Tasha. He'd wanted to ignore the fact that he did, indeed, felt something for Tasha besides the normal friendship feelings but it had been impossible. He couldn't deny himself that he loved Tasha, he did, very much indeed, but maybe not enough. Wait, it was enough, he did love her enough that he decided to marry her, but not as much as he loved Rose.

Rose, Rose, Rose, he kept on repeating over and over in his head as he touched and felt Tasha's warm skin against his. He wanted to make love to Roza, he desired that the most and when he opened his eyes and saw Tasha he said it, said it like he was surprised to see Tasha there or like he was asking himself why Rose wasn't there when he'd thought he'd been with her.

"Roza" He whispered, alarmed and then he almost died. He just called Tasha, Roza.

"Roza?" Tasha repeated and when realization dawned on her Dimitri only caught a glimpse of her watery eyes before she pushed him off her and scooted away from him.

He regretted every single syllable from that word and tried to reach out for her but she flinched and inched away. She buried her head in her hands and he could only watch as she sobbed silently. What had he done? He'd just ruined something that was supposed to be amazing between the two of them and because of what? Rosemarie, she was the guilty one, she was the one that hurt him and yet, she was still the one that he loved. He couldn't help it. It was as if with her arrival his old and broken into pieces heart had also came back, looking for its place in his chest that was currently occupied with Tasha's. Rosemarie's heart was trying to take out Tasha's and because he loved Tasha, he wouldn't let Rosemarie get in the way.

"Tasha… please listen to me." He reached for her but she shook him off again.

"Don't bother" She said, her voice trembled and she cleared her throat. When she wiped away the tears and looked at him he saw that she was determined. "I don't want to hear you say it. I already knew this would happen when Kat told me she was back." So that's why she'd been so quiet and melancholic since he arrived.

"That's not it Tasha and you know it. I won't go back to her like a puppy following its owner." For a second he thought he saw some hope in her eyes but it went away so fast that he wasn't sure he'd really seen it in the first place.

"Yes you will," He was about to protest but she raised her hand and stopped him. "I've known that all along, I've been expecting it and now that the time has come I guess that… I don't know." She looked away.

By now he knew that it wouldn't help if he tried to reach for her once again so he kept his hands to himself and frowned at her words. He had to be deaf because he couldn't have heard her right, right?

"All these time you've been waiting for her to come back and me to leave you for her?" He asked in disbelief.

"Yes and don't even try to deny that you still love her!" She snapped and he was surprised to see that she'd noticed that.

"I'm not going to leave you Tasha, I love you, I do and Rosemarie…" He trailed off, unable to say that he'd forgiven her and only saw her as someone he used to know because that would be lying and he wasn't good at lying about that. Tasha would know the truth instantly, as if reading a book.

Tasha looked at him, interested to know what he was about to say. "Rose what? Say it Dimitri, please I'm begging you" Dimitri didn't appreciate the sarcasm at all because what they were discussing was very important but he let it go.

"She's the past" He said and she laughed without humor but it changed into a sob.

"Well, then I think she's a past very present in our lives now" Dimitri hated to see Tasha hurting like that and all because of him.

"Stop talking about her, I already told you that she means nothing to me anymore and I would never do to you what she did to me" Dimitri said bitterly and the anger inside of him made him lose it. So he decided to get up and put his clothes back on to go and sleep on the couch before he could say something stupid and make things worse.

"Where are you going?'

"I'm going to spend the night in the living room" He said as he grabbed a pillow and a blanket. On the door he said over his shoulder, "Lissa called and said that she was expecting us tomorrow night at seven for our Wedding Anniversary dinner" Tasha groaned frustrated and threw a pillow at him, which he didn't duck out of respect because her blow had been weak, though good aimed, he had to admit, as he settled on the couch and prayed that Rosemarie would leave soon.

**I hope you like this chapter. I think its kind of sad. Tasha didn't deserve hearing her name when she was with Dimitri. I guess I was a little too harsh on her. Well, Dimitri, not me because I wasn't with her. hahaha.**

**Question: I'm I really that precitable? some of you guessed it was Lissa, but not the real reason why she was calling! :)**

**Anyhow, please review and don't forget to vote on my poll. Not many of you have and I need you to give me the name of the story so I can post it.**

**Review!  
**


	45. AN

Author's note...

Guy's, I might not update soon because I sent my unpublished chapters to my beta and she's editing them. As soon as she sends me one I will update. Serina, the chapters are actually released constatly. Anyhow, I will update LOVELY ROSE WITH THORNS while I wait for Turning Point. Hope y'all can wait a little more...

Before I forget... I believe that many of you might be wondering how I got the idea for what happened between R & D. Well, I'll leave y'all some of the songs I usually listen to.

Maroon 5

Daughtry

Lifehouse

Kelly Clarkson

If you guess at least three songs that actually have a part in this story by one or one per singer, then I will post a super large chapter and give you a hint of what will happen.

I wanted to remind you to vote on my poll for the name of my next story. The summary is on chapter 41, I think, of TP.

Review.


	46. Almost revealed

"I'm going to spend the night in the living room" He said as he grabbed a pillow and a blanket. On the door he said over his shoulder, "Lissa called and said that she was expecting us tomorrow night at seven for our Wedding Anniversary dinner" Tasha groaned frustrated and threw a pillow at him, which he didn't duck out of respect because her blow had been weak, though good aimed, he had to admit, as he settled on the couch and prayed that Rosemarie would leave soon.

Because, once again, she was managing to turn his live upside down with just her presence back into his life. How could she drive him so crazy even when she wasn't present? Why couldn't he just take Rosemarie's stupid heart and burn it like he'd done with most of the pictures?

He hadn't been able to burn the ones from when she was pregnant because they were still too valuable to him, he used the excuse that someday Kat might want to see them, but he was just lying to himself. He loved those pictures, he'd loved that phase when she was pregnant, seeing her big belly and the way she smiled… like there was nothing wrong in life. He had to see them again, it was time. Maybe by looking at them he would be able to see some clue as to why she left so suddenly, anything that he might have been missing.

He stood up and went to the attic, he tried to so as little noise as he could and he grabbed the old box that contained some of the stuff she hadn't taken. He went back to the couch and turned on the lamp to see the pictures. The first one was taken when they were in Russia, with his family. Rosemarie was smiling at the camera, just like him, and her belly was just starting to get bigger, it had been just a couple of weeks after they arrived, he recalled. There was nothing wrong with her, she was smiling and all. So this one didn't help.

He grabbed and searched through all of them till he reached the last ones he'd taken. In one, Rosemarie was smiling, Kat in her arms, and he noticed something wrong, very wrong. It had barely been the first day Kat was with them, he'd taken it as soon as they'd arrived home, but there was something very wrong with her. The smile seemed forced, her eyes lifeless and haunted, she was trying very hard not to frown. He could see it now and mentally kicked himself for not noticing back then. How could have something as important as that have slipped his mind? It had been right in front of him!

_Maybe I'm hallucinating_, he thought and to proof he was wrong, that there hadn't been absolutely nothing wrong with her, he went to the picture just before she had the baby. Adrian had taken the picture, he was amazed that he even remembered who'd taken it because he could barely remember what he'd had for breakfast, and in it he they were smiling like two teenagers in love. They were looking into each other's eyes, like there was nothing else in the world but him and her. In the background the church where Christian and Lissa's wedding had been was visible.

He tried to look into her eyes and look for something but there was nothing there besides joy and happiness. Clearly, something changed from that point on to two days after that, but what? What could have changed so much to make her look like that in two days? It couldn't have been Kat's birth. He was more than sure that she hadn't had anything to do with Rosemarie's departure. Something else… something that he couldn't remember, what?

He put the albums back in and then saw another picture from before Rose had gotten pregnant. They were actually two pictures he found. One, he was very familiar with. It had been a school picture in which Rose was smiling, again, nothing wrong. The next one made him smile. It was Lissa and Rose, both dressed as fairies for Halloween, with glitter and all. That had been taken before he met them. How things changed so quickly.

He thought about it for a while, it didn't really matter how long, and couldn't come up with anything. Finally he decided that he wouldn't come up with it when he was so tired so he put everything back in the box and took it to the closet in the hallway. Tomorrow he would try to come up with it and confront her as soon as he got it. She had so much explaining to do, and for the record, he wasn't doing it because he wanted or needed to know the truth. He was doing it because he thought that Kat would need an explanation later on when she was older. He didn't give a damn about the truth, he just… ok he did care but she was in his past, nothing else.

Who the hell was he trying to fool?

I wasn't really in the mood to be chastised, to even be awake! I only wanted to go back and fall asleep again on my cozy and warm bed, because, let's face it, after five years of sleeping on a dirty and uncomfortable cot it was just fair to sleep late when I had the opportunity to be on a bed. And what a dream I had last night! Sad and at the same time thrilling. But I had to get a grip on myself, I wasn't supposed to be having those kind of dreams, the ones where little clothing were involved and too much… nakedness. I shuddered at the thought. I'd already forbidden my brain from even thinking about giving me that dream ever again. What kind of monster dreamt about a married man who happened to hate her with all his guts had the steamy dream I had last night? I joked with myself. Well, the answer was simple. It was the kind of monster who was able to leave her daughter along with her one true love forever after being bribed by the queen Bitch and I also happened to still be in love with that guy that was now married. Sweet, huh?

Not so much, maybe in a book, but not it real life.

Because in real life, and I mean now, I was going to hand myself over to the executioner willingly and to make it worse, it was too early for me to be fully awake, and that meant that I wouldn't be able to put up much of a fight. I was going to see the Queen, for the first time in five years, and I hated every step I took, promise. When I finally got there I was announced and told to go in, I almost groaned with frustration because all the formalities were only wasting my time. I had a meeting in… an hour, great, that gave her plenty of time to use her whole set of torture on me.

"Rosemarie" Tatiana greeted me and motioned for me to sit. I did and kept my back straight, stiff I waited for her to begin but apparently she'd remembered what little patience I had didn't last longer than a second in this kind of circumstances.

"Tatiana, what do you want?" It rolled off my tongue as easily as if I'd been talking to one of my pals instead of the queen and I loved how it sounded.

"Always too impatient," She clicked her tongue and I almost snapped back at her. Who could blame me anyways? I was sleepy, hadn't had my coffee yet, despised her in a way that it was hard to explain and she was pushing my buttons.

"Yeah, well, you know me now what's the point of this… unexpected need to see me so early?"

"You can't tell Dimitri anything about your job in Europe, lie to him, again." She was looking at a bunch of papers on her desk as she said that, like I was supposed to follow her stupid rules.

"He already knows what I do, kill Strigoi like flies on the wall, is no secret among our kind" I said, annoyed that she was asking me such stupid request.

"I didn't mean that. I meant that you are only to tell him that, not about the fact that you kill them because you keep them at bay over there so they won't come for him over here" She clarified, her voice too calm as if we were talking about a boring movie or her ugly outfit.

"Why would I say that? I'm not stupid Tatiana. I know what I should and shouldn't say to him. But don't worry, as soon as I find the son of a bitch who dared to come over here I'll go. I have no intentions of sticking around here." She looked up with a smirk on her face.

"Hurt too much to see him with Tasha? Hmm, never thought of you as the jealous type, you know?" She let out a laugh and I almost punched her. Why did she have to bring that up? "Or is it the fact that you heard your daughter calling_ her_ Mom instead of _you_? I wouldn't be surprised if Dimitri hasn't told her that Tasha isn't her real mother."

"That's none of your business Tatiana, and if you want to talk about…" She cut me off.

"I don't want to talk about anything, anymore, you may go" I gaped at her a sec before standing up and storming out of the room as fast as I could. It was a better idea to get out of there rather than go to jail for murdering the queen. So I walked back to my room, still wearing PJ's because I'd decided to bother the queen, and stopped when I saw someone out of the corner of my eye walking towards the guardian's main security office where I had to attend to a meeting, again, later today. I stopped walking and turned to see who it was. The meeting didn't start until about an hour. Who was crazy enough to get here so early?

I smiled when I saw who it was. Dimitri was looking as distracted as a kid on Disney world, in his own little world and he didn't even notice me watching. Just in case he'd developed some new skill of sensing when he was being watched, I hid behind a bush. His long strides were as grateful as ever, he looked as God-like as he'd done five years ago and his legs… wait, why could I see his legs? I realized that he was wearing shorts, shorts in this cold climate! Was he trying to catch pneumonia? But he did look hot, I gotta admit. He was also wearing a black hoodie and he wasn't walking, he was jogging. Alert. Code Red. S.O.S He only jogged when there was something wrong and he needed to… I don't know, blow off some steam? What could have gone wrong this time?

I sighed, feeling like a complete idiot because who the hell would watch him like that? I was disgusted with myself and decided to walk to my room and sleep the rest of the little time I had, it didn't matter that I would have to almost walk by him in my way. I was a big girl and I could keep myself in check around him. I'd done it yesterday, why couldn't I do it today?

Ask and answer, when I walked past him he'd been so damn distracted with the interesting floor that he almost bumped into me and my legs went all weak. I saw him coming, I really did, but I hadn't been prepared to see what I saw. His hoodie was open, which provided me with a full view of his soaked-with-sweat white tee, which at the same time provided me with a full view of his front. He had the same amazing six-pack; his body was so damn gorgeous that by the time he was close enough to see me is when I woke up and moved to my hiding place.

Fortunately, he didn't see me, or at least I think he didn't because he went on like nothing was there. I let out a sigh of relieve and started to walk towards my building because it was actually really cold. I could see the building, cozy and warm, and I jogged the rest of the way until I reached my room. I went to bed without even bothering to take off the hoodie and fell asleep.

Dimitri had decided to go jogging to take her off his mind and to think about what he was supposed to buy Tasha to make things ok between them. He was supposed to be thinking about Tasha, who he loved now, not Rosemarie and yet he couldn't take that traitor off his mind and just when he least expected she appeared. He saw her out of the corner of his eyes but refused to really acknowledge her because once again she was making thins hard for him except that this time things were very different and someone he loved very much would get hurt. He wasn't willing to hurt Tasha in any way, not like Rosemarie had done to him by leaving so unexpectedly, what if there was someone else in her life? Up until now Dimitri hadn't seen anyone hanging around her, at the meeting yesterday she'd been alone but he didn't have any idea what her life was back in Europe and for all he knew she could also be married to someone. God forbid it, he wouldn't go as low as to ask her that.

He didn't care about it, so he kept on jogging and didn't even glance at her. To his surprise God answered his prayers and she didn't talk to him either but he could see the look of appreciation on her face as her gaze slid down his chest and legs, he almost rolled his eyes. Dimitri was tired of that look, many woman, even married ones, stared at him like that, like he was some sort of toy on demonstration. But he'd never appreciated any of them, he never cared or anything, till now.

Rose had been the only one that he truly cared about when he first met her, she became his main priority and the love of his life, even if he was trying to deny that now, and he'd thought that he would spend the rest of his life with her. But she'd proved him very wrong when she left. So now he was trying to take her off his mind and she was the one he saw first thing in the morning, was it some kind of signal that she was truly the one he should be with or that she wasn't the one? He was hoping he'd be able to stay around her without giving anything away.

"Yeah, right. Like that it'll be easy" He murmured as he opened the door of his apartment and went in. There was a towel on the couch and he used it to wipe the sweat away from his neck and face. He took a shower and changed into his normal clothes, not bothering to put on the guardian uniform. Dimitri really wasn't in the mood for anything, besides, he hadn't taken a vacation in years and he was more than ready to take it now. He'd leave John in charge for the rest of the time that Rosemarie would be here and he wouldn't have to see her anymore, neither would Kat. It was perfect. He'd only go today to tell John and then leave before she got there.

Besides, that would give him enough time to go buy something for Tasha and then come back with enough time to spend it with Tasha and Kat. He would try to make it up to her from what happened last night because he certainly wasn't going to let the past ruin his present. So when he was ready he checked up on Kat, she was still asleep and before he closed the door he caught a glimpse of what she was holding in her arms as she slept. It was the novel he'd been reading to her, she was clutching it close to her chest. He smiled a little.

Dimitri wouldn't let Rosemarie ruin his daughter's life, she would leave soon and probably wouldn't come back in years. So why bother telling Kat the truth if she wouldn't stick around? It was better if she still thought that Tasha was her mother.

He left the room and went to check on Tasha. She was also still asleep, he stood at the foot of the bed and watched her sleep. She was truly beautiful, the scar on her face didn't make her any less worth of love, on the contrary, it made him want to love her and protect her even more . She deserved the best, she was the best that had ever happened in his life and today it wasn't the first time in five years that he regretted not having left to become her guardian when she first asked him to. But he'd been blinded by love, a love that hurt him badly, and he'd also hurt Tasha by reclining the offer. Then, when he was left alone and hurting she was the one that had to reconstruct his damaged heart, make a new one, and she did it without expecting anything in return.

He remembered one talk he had with Rosemarie weeks before she left. She told him that she always had a reason for everything, that whatever she did it was because she loved him.

"_I want you to know that when I do something that looks wrong, I have a reason, I always have a reason. That day my excuse was that I needed you, that's why I kissed you and because I wanted to know how much control you had. I wanted to prove you wrong. I did"_

Not only did she prove him wrong that time but also about the fact that she didn't love him as much as he loved her. Loved, past sense because he did not loved her anymore. He refused to believe he did, he refused to let her get to him once again because now, not only would he probably get hurt again but also Tasha and Kat if things didn't work out as he already knew they wouldn't. Because there was no way things could work out between him and her after what she did.

So he went to the guardian's main security office and this time he did go in and straight to the conference room. John was there already, looking at some papers and staring at them like they held some sort of great revelation. Dimitri went in without knocking and sat next to him. John nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw Dimitri next to him.

"Damn you Belikov, you could have said you were coming" John said.

"I'll be damned if I do" Dimitri answered, continuing the bantering.

John went serious then. He put the papers closer so Dimitri could look at them.

"Take a look Dimitri, this papers are about the rogues. I just got them from a contact I had and you won't like it at all"

Dimitri looked at the papers and the frowned. He didn't understand what some guardians that retired exactly five years ago had to do with the rogues.

"What does this have to do with the rogues? These guardians retired," Dimitri said but John shook his head.

"Read the ages, names and circumstance"

Dimitri sighed but did read.

All of them were too young to have retired, some of them hadn't even been on the job for more than a year and all of them had at least killed three Strigoi. But the weird thing is that there were records of them still working all over Siberia and Europe, as if they hadn't retired. All of them were doing something over there, all of them over there and none of them requested the retirement or the change of state. All of them were between the ages of nineteen and twenty four when they began five years ago.

"Are you saying that someone sent them there?" Dimitri said sarcastically.

"I'm not just saying, I'm confirming it." John answered. "Look at their data. Most of them had some family over here, why would they suddenly decide to leave and ironically get together to kill Strigoi?"

"I do admit that is kind of suspicious but…" John cut him off.

"Kind of? The only one with such power to try to make all of these disappear is the Queen herself, Belikov, and now read the last file." Dimitri was getting tired of all the stupid insinuations that John was saying so he left the papers on the desk and stood up, refusing to believe that somehow all of the rogues had been sent across the Atlantic against their will. It was so ridiculous, who would do such a thing and why?

The Queen would never do such a thing. He admitted that Tatiana could be a cold-blooded person at times but she would never do such a thing, and how would Rosemarie get involved in all of that anyways? After five years of accepting the hard truth, that Rosemarie simply hadn't been the person he thought she was, he couldn't accept anything else besides that. He'd told himself that he was ok as his life was, he'd spent the past five years working and raising his daughter and living an amazing live with Tasha.

So now that John was trying to tell him otherwise he simply snapped and wanted to leave as soon as possible.

"I don't want to hear about any of this, just take care of the meeting today because I'm taking some time off till all of this is resolved." Dimitri told him and John nodded.

"Fine, I'll leave this alone and take care of Hathaway till she's gone but I know what you're doing and let me tell you man that it won't help." John knew Dimitri's past with Rose and he knew that there was something suspicious about the way she left and all. But with all the new evidence he just got about the other rogues he was definitely sure that there was something very wrong, though he would leave it alone if Dimitri wanted to because it was really none of his business and he knew that in time he would figure it out on his own. So, for now, John was using guilt to open Dimitri's eyes. Because even though Dimitri was also trying to find answers and a better explanation about what had been going on with Rosemarie before she left, he just wouldn't believe such absurd thing John was saying.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm saying that even if you keep avoiding her she's still going to be in your heart" Dimitri was about to protest when he thought about it.

"You know what? Your absolutely right, which is why I'm putting you in charge of everything" After saying that Dimitri walked out the door and went to the parking lot for his car. He still had Adrian's car, the same black Mercedes, and even though he'd tried to give it back to the owner, Adrian had managed to return it every time. Dimitri stopped trying a long time ago.

But it still brought a smile to his lips the mere memory of Adrian trying to tell him that he'd gotten Viktoria pregnant. At first Dimitri had been about to kill him but then he thought about it and accepted it because he thought that at least someone needed some love in their lives. He wished he could spent some more time with his sister at the Academy where she'd settled with Adrian, working as a Guardian there, and get to know his own nephew but he couldn't. He'd been working very hard and didn't really have much time to take vacations. Besides, if he left court to work over at St. Vladimir the place would bring him too many memories.

And now he was on his way to buy something really nice for Tasha to make it up to her for what happened the night before and he had no idea what to buy. He was a guy for God's sake, he had no idea what a girl like Tasha would like. But what bothered him the most was that he knew perfectly fine that if the gift were for Rosemarie he'd know exactly what to buy. And that hurt a lot.

He drove all the way to the mall and went in to look for something nice.

**I wonder why Dimitri can't recall the visit the queen paid to Rose the day Kat was born. Any of you want to guess? And he was so freaking close to discovering the hidden letter in the portrait! Damn, he didn't think of opening it. That sure would save him a lot of pain and worry. But he didn't think about that because he lost faith and trust in Rose. **** Just as he knows he loves Tasha. **

**Soon, though, he will know the truth and realize that John had been right all along. I mean, John practically told him why Rose left and Dimitri still doesn't believe it. Why is he so skeptical? **

**I guess you'll just have to read to find out what will happen next. Remember that Rose was invited to Dimitri and Tasha's anniversary dinner by Lissa. What will that bring? **

**If you have any suggestions of bands or songs I should listen to and be inspired just write them when you review. Because I do expect you to review. **

**I finally have the results of your votes for the name of my the new story, which I'm co-writing with Talky Girl. The name will be: Rewind & Change… Thanks for voting… **** And I will post as soon as she send me the first edited chapter….**

**Please review**


	47. Crappy Day

**RPOV**

I'd gone to the meeting expecting to find Dimitri there, shooting daggers at me or something, but found John instead who looked as uncomfortable as I was. We only talked about why I was there, I told him that I was here because I was after a specific Strigoi and I had to look for a place to stay while looking for it. John tried to ask me more but I managed to avoid dangerous questions and he let me go earlier than I'd thought.

I was rather happy about that because now I had more time to look for the bastard and go to have dinner at Lissa's place later. I'd been thinking about how much I'd missed her and all but I realized that it had been very selfish of me to go and see her when I did only because I needed someone to talk to. I mean, pretty soon I would be leaving anyways, so what's the point of talking to her again? I had no idea but after making so many selfish things one more wasn't so important, right?

I didn't care. All I cared about right now was finding the idiot of Louie and ask him about the boss's whereabouts, because he was the one looking for Dimitri and having Louie so close to Dimitri made me very uneasy. I'd been trying to keep him and the others as far away from Dimitri as possible but this one eventually managed to escape me and come here. I wanted to kill him and get it over with already but it wasn't so easy. As I made my way through the streets alone at night I realized that this searching job for him wouldn't be as easy as I'd thought.

I tried to look as innocent as possible and defenseless, which was easy because I was short and pretty. Ha! I said it! And it didn't take long before I realized I was being followed. It was kind of ironic, considering the ways I'd always been the one following them and not the other way around but I knew that if I wanted to really play the cards here I had to go along with it no matter how much I wanted to turn around and stake him already. I wasn't particularly fond of Strigoi-talk because they were only good to insult. I'd actually learned many Russian swear words from them. The good thing was that I was very sure it was a Strigoi. I was shadow kissed, therefore I could feel whenever Strigoi were near through nausea, unfortunately. Still, I appreciated my body's early warning system.

And I kept on walking like nothing was wrong, adding some stumbles here and there in case the Strigoi had figured out the fact that I was Damphir, at least, he'd think that I was drunk and defenseless. Maybe even think I was another bloodwhore. He didn't make any move for a while and I was getting tired of walking around aimlessly. It wasn't until I rounded a corner that I realized what was happening. The Strigoi that was following me wasn't so alone after all and I felt the exact moment his friends got together and waited for me at the next corner, which wasn't that far away. I was betting my ass they were about four, but I could also be wrong and I didn't like it one bit. I would definitely have some trouble with them and I hadn't been expecting a great fight so I was wearing sandals. What an idiot I'd been, so confident that only one would attack. Ugh, when was I going to learn my lesson?

I kept on walking like there was nothing in the world and I didn't attack them till they did it first, which totally caught me off guard. I'd been thinking strategies and not concentrating on where they really were. So when the first of them attacked I barely ducked from what would have been a really bad injury. A swift kick knocked him into a neighboring building's wall and freed the hold of my arm that he'd gotten as I ducked. He grunted on impact and slumped to the ground, stunned and surprised just as his other three friends came for me.

I spun around and landed another kick to another Strigoi, which I must say I was sure it hurt me more than him, but he still stumbled backwards. Then another stupid Strigoi tried to get a hold of my shoulder but I dodged him and I heard him growl, not very patient I see. Though who the hell liked it when the food fought back? The next blow caught me on the arm, and I stumbled, just barely keeping my balance.

My stake was still clutched in my right hand, but I needed an opening to hit his chest. A smart Strigoi would have angled himself in a way that ruined the line of sight to his heart. This guy, the one that attacked first, was doing a so-so job so I decided that he'd be the first one to go down.

"This one is a feisty one" One of them said and I smiled.

"You have no idea" I said and then attacked the idiotic one as he laughed; it was very pleasant to see him dying. The rest of the pathetic Strigoi launched at me. I sprinted as hard as I could, throwing my full weight at one of them. My stake pierced his heart as we slammed against the wall. It was as simple as that with that one. The life—or undead life whatever—faded from him just like with the other one and I felt very good. It was kind of sick to feel such glory when killing something that was, at least, half alive but because of everything that I'd been through I guess that I deserved it.

Attacking so suddenly was a mistake. I'd already killed two, three left, and the three of them attacked at the same time. I ducked two of them but one kicked my stomach so hard that I did stumbled backwards and hit the dumpster, not hard enough, but it hurt. That gave them time to keep attacking. I felt the hits, in my stomach and then something sharp on my arm. It took me a second to realize that one of them just cut my arm and that's when my instincts kicked in. I fought, hard, and began kicking and ducking till I got a good opening and attacked. I killed one and had another one left.

"Want to keep partying?" I asked him with a wicked grin. Now I really had his attention, red eyes angry and lips curled back to show his fangs. He sprang up from where he was with preternatural speed and lunged for me. I barely had time to duck and hit before he decided to bite. His fangs barely brushed my skin before I kicked and plunged the stake in. As soon as he died I was relieved and had to take some time to get my strength back. I placed my hands on my knees and breathed in and out, trying to calm my racing heart.

I just killed Five Strigoi and I… wait… five? I looked around and there were only four bodies. There had to be a mistake because there were four Strigoi waiting for me at the corner, plus the one that followed me…

Oh my god.

I didn't see it coming, I just felt it. I was ambushed and pushed against a wall so hard that for a moment I had no idea what just happened. I saw black spots on my field of vision and then felt the throbbing pain in my head. I had an awful sense of déjà vu from the time I was being held captive with Galina.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to lower your guard till all your enemies were dead?" He whispered in my ear and then bared my neck.

"Fuck you!" I said and he laughed like that was the cutest thing he'd ever heard.

I kicked again and tried to get an opening to stake but the stake only burned his flesh where it touched. He snarled and then grabbed me by the shoulders, in one swift motion he removed me from the dumpster and punched me in the gut sending me flying away from him. I landed on some junk after hitting the wall again with another loud thud that I swear to god even shook my spine. Ok, so this proved my theory of being a little rusty.

I groaned when I tried to roll to my side and felt something that hurt like hell sticking out the side of my torso. I cried out and tried to sit up, I touched my side and when I saw my hand there was blood. Oh this was so not good.

"You are going to die little bitch" The Strigoi said but he'd let his guard down and I used to distraction to stake him, he fought to take it out, even managed to hit the side of my head again with a slap, but I plunged the stake deeper and he fell to the side. I was rather happy because I'd just killed five Strigoi wearing sandals and this time there were misunderstandings. So I sat there, panting and clutching at my side for a while before realizing that the fact that I was bleeding couldn't be good.

"Oh, I'm going to have a hell of a lot of bruises later" I murmured as I tried to get up and when I finally managed it, I realized how bad it was. There tip of the stake had punctured my side when I fell, and there was a hole from when I was bleeding. My bet was that I was the first guardian in history to have this happened. I groaned and limped my way back to my own car, which was just a block away. I was so going to need the rest of the day to rest and gather my energy and as I drove back to court I couldn't help but think about my life.

I'd gone away just like Tatiana told me, I saved Dimitri and myself from jail, my daughter from loneliness and what have I won? Dimitri's hatred, probably my other friends also hated me and my daughter didn't even recognize me because she thought Tasha was her mother. But why did I care so much? I mean, the last time I was with Dimitri he was telling me how much he loved me and that everything would be all right, now he hated me.

My daughter had nothing to say about all of this because she didn't know the truth and would probably never do. Viktoria, Adrian and Christian probably would also never forgive me, which was why I'd decided never to come back after I first left and here I was. Though Viktoria did have a reason to, I mean, I broke her brother's heart, crushed it like it was nothing, and now I was back asking for forgiveness and a chance to spend some time with my daughter.

But what for? I mean, I will leave and wouldn't come back ever again, or maybe when Tatiana retired but what was the point if everyone didn't want me or need me anymore? Kat would be ok with Tasha as her mother; Dimitri was already a great father so there was nothing here for me.

When I finally reached the gates to court I was stopped by one of the guardians who wanted to know my name. I gave it to him and he eyed me suspiciously before letting me in. I would have punched him if he would have said something but because he didn't I was grateful. So I drove in and parked my car as close to my building as possible.

Every single step I took hurt like hell, I felt like I was walking on glass, my head throbbed and my whole body ached. If I hadn't known pain already I would have started crying a while ago, I saved the tears for later though, when I was finally having a well deserved shower. The tears simply came, ran down my cheeks just like the blood was pouring from my side and I didn't care that I was probably bleeding to death. I just wanted to cry and cry till I had no tears left.

I stopped crying, not because I was tearless but because the pain in my body was unbearable and I had to get out and change if I didn't want to die. People would eventually find my lifeless body but I certainly didn't want anybody seeing me naked. So I got out of the shower and changed, put on a pair of old jeans and a top because I was only taking a trip to the infirmary.

So I had to stop to lean against a wall three times on my way to the infirmary because I couldn't take the pain anymore. My top was white and the blood soaked it half way there. By the time I got to the infirmary I was almost falling and the doctor took me in because I was what made his day. I understood very well how boring court could be but I had to complain when he tried to take care of everything.

"No, stop." I said as he tried to take me for a CAT scan. "I only want you to take care of the stupid wound on my abdomen."

"I need to know what else is broken so you better stop complaining Miss Hathaway" I glared at him. I mean, he couldn't be much older than me and he was trying to give me orders?

"I came here to get that fixed, and only that, so you either put yourself to work on closing the stupid hole or I'll do it myself and it won't look pretty." If I was going to get sewed back together he had to know that I wasn't his typical patient and if I had to do it myself I would.

The doc frowned and took his time to answer. "Fine, I'll stitch you but you'll need to sign something" I nodded and leaned back against the pillows as he began to stitch me. It hurt, but not that much and once again I found myself looking back at how my life used to be before I even met Dimitri.

Life used to be so easy, Lissa and I were BFFs and nothing could come between us. We used to be the life of the parties back then, our main concern was what we'd wear, if we'd pass a test or simple stuff like that. We never really thought about the future, well besides the fact that I was obsessed with being her guardian, and then… we left. We left Academy for two years, two years that we spent running around and all that but we were still friends, now… we were friends just the circumstances were different. Everything changed the minute we were dragged back to the Academy because I met Dimitri and fell in love with him.

I'd like to be able to blame him for what happened to me and my life but I couldn't because I couldn't bring myself to regret any minute I spent with him. Mainly because the short time I was with him was the best I'd ever had. I mean, I loved him, he was my first and only love, and I knew we were destined to be together so why did life had to give us such a blow that it knocked us off on our asses? Well, if it was a test we definitely failed it because there was no hope for us anymore.

Dimitri found someone else, someone who would always be there for him no matter what and I was just in the way. I knew perfectly fine that Tasha would make him happy, happier than when he was with me because when we were together, the little time we had, he always had to worry about me and the baby. Dimitri was always there for me, he said we were going to be all right but… we weren't supposed to be together after all. He had to resign his guardian duties for me and even if he never mentioned it I knew that he was unhappy like that, but with Tasha he could be with her and at the same time continue with his career. Now he had the best of both worlds, ha! Even though relationships between damphirs and Moroi were rare, they weren't looked as bad as two damphirs together and that was because the damphir kept the Mroroi alive… so there really wasn't any problem at all. I remembered Mark and Oksana… what they told me when I went to see them just a year before that surprised me because they assured there was a cure to…

"Done" I blinked twice before focusing on the doc who was looking at me.

"What's done?"

"I'm done with the stitches," Oh, yeah. I'd forgotten where I was. "and I still recommend…" I hopped off the bed and looked at the stitches in the mirror. They looked good and they were also starting to hurt because now I was conscious of what was happening. He stitched up my arm also and I was daydreaming through all of that but I still… well.

"I have to go" I said and he stopped me.

"While you had your head in the clouds I also checked your other hits and you might have some concussions and you definitely broke some ribs" So that's why it hurt so much. "Just let me attend you properly" I sighed.

"Fine but only if you give me something for the pain afterwards" He smiled at me and nodded.

"Deal" I sat back down and let him check everything else. "But I don't know what you want them for if you didn't even flinch while I was stitching"

"I was busy thinking about important stuff but now I'm wide awake and with a dinner to go tonight" I wasn't planning on leaving Lissa with all the food she would probably have and I'd already let her down once, I wouldn't do it again.

So he examined the other hits I'd received and when he was done he looked relieved. "I told you I was fine" I said with a smirk on my face.

"Well, I wouldn't be so sure. The hit to your head is kind of serious so…" uh huh.

"I have to go" I said hopping off again and this time not bothering with anything else. I signed the paper the nurse showed me and walked out, well, I was limping but I walked out with my dignity.

**So, what do you think? Do you like it? I mean, the fight was pretty interesting if you ask me… not to mention Rose's thoughts. Don't you wonder what is it that she discovered when she went to see Mark and Oksana by herself just a year ago? It sure as hell must have been something pretty interesting if it surprised her. Oh, and about the last chapter some were confused about why Dimitri didn't remember and the Queen has nothing to do with that… just saying. Also, the Queen does want Rose to kill as many Strigoi as possible, that's why Rose is over there at Europe and all that, nothing against Rose's parents.**

**Hilary33 asked about the letter and the letter is in Rose's portrait… that's why I mentioned in the last chapter that Dimitri was close to finding out the truth, she didn't take the note with her.**

**Anyhow, just wanted to thank you guys for the twenty three reviews! I was so excited this morning when I found them. Keep reviewing like this and I'll update sooner…**

**Also, I will post the story that I promised you guys it's going to be called Rewind & Change and it will be on soon, well as soon as I send it to Talky Girl to edit and then I'll update…**

**Thanks so much for the reviews! Keep it up!**

**P.S. I will also post a story about the Mediator series by Meg Cabot. I loved the books so much that I already started writing it and actually posted the first chapter in my blog. If you want to see the first chapter go to my profile and click on the link that mentions my blog. You review in my blog or send me a message telling me whether you liked it or not… so I can know if you will read the story or not.**


	48. Unexpected

I looked at a clock before heading out and it was five thirty so I went to my room to change because I wanted to spend some more time with her. As soon as I was outside I felt the cold and I regretted not coming out with a jacket on. I hugged myself and walked, trembling and limping, to my building.

I entered my room and looked for my clothes that I was supposed to wear. I put on black skinny jeans, black turtle neck sweater and just to highlight my day a black leather jacket. The black high heeled boots were my favorites so I also put them on and nearly fell again when I caught a look of myself in the bathroom mirror.

I had a bruise on my right cheek, it was getting really bad, and when I touched my face it hurt like hell. It was just getting better and better as I saw the thin red line running from my neck to my shoulder when I lifted the sweater. I put it back on and groaned. There was no amount of makeup that would cover that up, ever, so I was going to look like a beaten up woman during dinner tonight.

I put on some make up, the same eyeliner around the eyes, brownish eye shadow and lip gloss. I looked a little better, less beaten up but the cut on my lip was still visible and swollen. I sighed, this was so not good. I wanted to look good, really, but how would I if I looked like this. I mean, I'd dyed my hair black, made it look straighter by cutting it, because I wanted a change but there was no change. I was still the same girl who always ended up at the infirmary, except that this time there was no hero, aka Dimitri Belikov, aka my mentor, aka the love of my life. I was completely alone.

I was going to remain alone for the rest of my life and I… didn't want to. I found myself wanting to be someone else, someone who _would_ and _could_ actually be happy. I wanted an easier life where I wouldn't have to protect anyone else but me, I wanted to be in charge of my own life… but I couldn't.

"I'm going to get through this" I told myself and then walked out of there to go to dinner. I still had about an hour to get there but I really wanted to spend some time with Lissa and if helping her cook was my chance then I was going to take it. I walked out the door and was on m way to see her, hoping to have a talk with Christian and see if things were good or bad between him and me as friends. Not to mention the fact that I was looking forward to meet Lissa's daughters.

**LPOV**

His arms circled my waist and he kissed my neck, which distracted me a lot. He liked to do that when I was busy but this time I wanted everything to be perfect because Rose was coming. After years of not seeing her I was finally going to have the opportunity to talk to her again, it didn't matter if things were very different now. I felt so bad for her, angry at Queen for doing such a thing. I mean, I even thought that Rose had misjudged her before because she took it very well when Adrian told her about him and Viktoria that I even began to like her.

How could I've even… what she did was so unfair. Tatiana made Rose leave because she felt like it, it doesn't matter if it was to stop something or not, Rose deserved her life with Dimitri and now that was ruined. Dimitri married Tasha and they're both raising Kat… together, when Rose was the one that was supposed to be doing that. I didn't blame Dimitri for marrying Tasha, he deserved to be happy and Kat needed a mother so it was ok. Christian hadn't been so happy about it but he accepted it because, after all, he couldn't tell his aunt not to marry him when she seemed so happy with him.

I just wished that… I didn't know. I just felt like Dimitri and Rose still had a chance being together and I was about to give them that chance, even if neither of them asked for it. I wanted Rose to be happy, I wanted Dimitri and Tasha to be happy but it didn't matter how things would end up tonight because one way or the other one of them was going to get hurt.

"Lissa?" I heard Christian say and then turned to him. He looked worried, and like he'd said my name more than once. I tried a smile but it didn't work at all.

"I'm sorry, what were you saying?" He chuckled and kissed my lips, his arms still around my waist and I wanted to wrap my arms around his neck but I was very much aware of the fact that I was cooking.

"I said that it was very nice of you to cook for Aunt Tasha's wedding anniversary." He sounded so grateful that I instantly felt bad about the fact that I invited Rose over on purpose. But they deserved a chance.

"Yeah, about that…" He sat on a char in front of the counter and then turned to me with a I-know-there's-something-wrong-so-tell-me look.

"What?"

"I told you that Rose was back, right?" He nodded, warily. "Well, I invited her to come over tonight, too, to eat with us" I said and he turned to me sharply.

"You what? Why did you do that if you knew that Dimitri was coming and they can't be in a room together?" He asked, running his hand through his hair.

"Christian…" He cut me off.

"And my aunt Tasha… why would you do something like that to her?" Ok, it was enough. I was aware of that fact and that it was wrong but Rose was my friend and I wanted her to be happy, it didn't matter that… well, and it did matter. I only wanted to give her this one last chance and see if things were still possible between them.

"I want to be with Rose for the time she spends here" He looked like he was about to interrupt so I help up a hand. "Please, Christian. I just want the little time I'll have with my friend." Christian sighed.

"I'm sorry I took it on you. You must miss her and… but please just try not to… I don't know." I knew what he was talking about because that was exactly what I was doing.

"I'm sorry" But I had no idea what I was apologizing for, if for this argument or for what I was planning to do.

I went back to cooking and a second later the doorbell rang. Christian went to get it and I stayed where I was. I just didn't feel that things around here were fair, Tatiana wasn't fair and now I wasn't being fair with Tasha.

"Aunt Lissi!" I turned around and saw Kat standing there along with my daughters Val and Rory. The three of them were wearing cute little dresses that made them look so… cute. I loved it.

"Hey Kat, how was it at the beauty salon?" I asked them and they all giggled.

"They all got pedicures and manicures, you all look cute" Tasha said as she sat took a seat next to Christian and the girls nodded.

"Mom looks awesome" Kat said to me and we smiled at each other. Tasha sure looked awesome, beautiful and sad. I mean, she had to force her smiles and all. I felt bad for her so I left the food to finish boiling and sat next to her as the girls went to play in the living room.

"What's wrong Tasha?" I asked and she turned to me with a pained expression.

"She's back" I knew who she meant and I wasn't going to hurt her by playing dumb. "And Dimitri is acting weird" She whispered, I guessed it was because she didn't want Christian to know anything.

"Tasha…" I had no idea what to say but once again the doorbell rang and I had to get up to get it. I went there and it was Dimitri, for a moment I just stood there because I could not believe my eyes and then I stepped aside.

"Hello Lissa" He said, somewhat amused.

"Hello" I managed to say.

Dimitri parked the car and walked up to Lissa's building. He'd talked to Tasha and he'd told her that he'd pick her up at Lissa's right now because he had a surprise for her. He just hoped that it wasn't too late for an apology because he really didn't want to ruin anything, he was really in love with Tasha and he would rather die first than break her heart.

Before knocking on the door he touched his pocket where he had Tasha's gift and then he knocked. A second later Lissa opened the door and she just stared at him, stunned, before stepping aside and letting him in. He smiled to himself, knowing that he probably looked as stupid as he felt. Lissa was too nice to ever admit it but he knew it.

"Hello Lissa" Dimitri said, amused, and Lissa forced a small smile of her own.

"Hello"

They both went in and as soon as Dimitri saw Tasha, sitting by herself and looking like a lost puppy, he began to worry even more. What if it was too late and she'd given up already? He wouldn't let her do that because he loved her, he needed her and she was his everything now. Dimitri stood next to her and took her hand, she looked up and simply stared at him for a moment.

"Are you ready?" He whispered in her ear.

Tasha didn't know what to say, she was ready to go but not with him. He came here because he wanted to show her something, he told her and she'd agreed but she didn't really feel like receiving anything. Tasha felt like crap, and who wouldn't after finding out what had been happening to her for the past couple of weeks. At first she'd thought that that would be a perfect gift for Dimitri today, before she knew Rose was back and now seeing Dimitri so… calm, just drove her crazy.

"Yes, let's go" She said and stood up. "Lissa, we'll be back in a couple of hours when dinner's ready."

Lissa poke her head from the kitchen with a smile, "Fine, see you!" She yelled and then went back to work.

Dimitri and Tasha walked out together and during the whole time she had no idea what to say. Dimitri looked as hot as ever, maybe even better wearing that suit, but his hotness couldn't take her mind off of last night's events. They'd been on bed, making love, and he blurted out Roza in the middle of it, she knew perfectly fine the fact that he said that was bad enough. He probably wouldn't break up with her on their wedding day anniversary. She knew that because he was too much of a gentleman, so she was safe, for today at least.

So she kept on walking with him, him holding her hand tightly as if he were afraid of losing her, and when she snapped out of her autopilot mode when she realized that they were at home and he was locking the door. She panicked, maybe he was planning on breaking up with her today but she wasn't ready for it, not yet, not today when she was supposed to be showing him the gift. Why today, why couldn't he just wait for their anniversary to pass? She would have liked to be able to say that she was married for at least a year and if the marriage ended the same day it began… she couldn't take it.

"Just say it already, get it over with." Tasha snapped at him after she was done pacing back and forth in front of him.

Dimitri had been standing there, just watching her and waiting for her to finish thinking whatever was on her mind because he didn't want to interrupt her. But he had no idea what she was talking about. What did she want him to say and get over with already? She couldn't know about the gift, he just bought it.

"What are you talking about?" He asked and took a step closer, but she took another one back and raised her hands defensively, motioning for him to stay back.

"What? Well I'm just saying that I thought that the best way to say it is just say it and get it over with." Tasha said, "Just say it to my face. Tell me that you are breaking up with me and…" He cut her off.

"That I'm breaking up with you?" He asked, not wanting to believe that he heard right.

"Yes, just say it and…" She shut up when he circled her waist with his arms and kissed her. She kissed him back.

Dimitri just kissed her because he had no idea what she was talking about. He would never break up with her, he loved her dammit! Why couldn't she accept it? Did he really look as heartbroken for Rosemarie as he'd first felt? Could everyone else see how much it hurt him to know that Rosemarie was here, so close and yet so out of reach? Because Rosemarie was forbidden, he couldn't get within ten feet near her without wanting to kiss her or take her to bed, and because that was wrong he wouldn't do any of that. Dimitri assured himself that he'd be able to stay away from her because he had a new a life, a new person in his life whom he loved with all his heart and would rather first die than hurt her. He wanted to believe that old saying, that you never really forgot your first love but could fall again.

So, these was his way of assuring Tasha—and maybe even himself— that he could be with her like he wanted for the rest of his life and forget about Rosemarie. Well, it wasn't that easy if you counted the fact that Rosemarie seemed to get into his life during the most inappropriate moments and turning him into a useless love struck puppy. But this time was going to be way different because he was in love with Tasha.

And just to make sure Tasha knew how much he loved her, he decided that making up for the time they wasted last night fighting over meaningless words he said. He lifted her off the ground, bridal-style, without ever leaving her lips, and walked to their bedroom.

He put her on the bed, climbed on it, and began unzipping her dress. It felt so good, to be touched by him again and she could barely contain herself from his charming self but she managed and pushed him away when he got her naked.

"Don't" She said breathlessly, trying to hold herself together.

"Tasha, don't do this. I told you last night that she does not matter to me anymore." Dimitri wanted her to believe him, because he needed someone to believe that.

"You say that it's meaningless when you are not with her but just to make everything worse I do understand it perfectly fine. Dimitri, you love her, will always do and…" She cut her off.

"I don't and do you think that I would be here, with you and my daughter, right now when she is here if I didn't love you?" Tasha knew that he wouldn't but still… "I love you Tasha," He cupped her face with one hand and drew her closer, stroking slightly the scars on her left cheek with his thumb. "I love you and will always love you. So, please, stop thinking about the fact that she is here and let's enjoy ourselves because today is our first wedding anniversary." He kissed her.

Tasha wanted his words to be true, to know that he really loved her enough to stay with her instead of going back to Rose. Anyone would always be able to see that he still loved Rose, even if they were both trying to cover it.

After their time together, as Tasha and Dimitri laid on the bed, she wondered if she was being too selfish for wanting Dimitri all for her knowing very well the fact that he still loved Rose. She wanted him to be happy but she wanted him to be happy with her, not Rose, even though she already knew that that's exactly where he'd like to be with.

Dimitri was feeling pretty good exactly where he was and then he remembered the gift he bought for Tasha. He knew she would love it because she'd wanted that for a while now and he also would like to enjoy it. It would be a good excuse to get away from Rosemarie too. So he sat up and reached for his pants that were currently on the floor. After all, he wouldn't waste something that took him too long to think about.

"What are you doing?" Tasha asked as she also sat up, covering herself. Dimitri grabbed something from the floor and sat back where he'd been with a huge smile on his face.

"I bought something for you, well, for us" He said, giving Tasha an envelope.

"You really didn't have to do that" Of course he would, she thought because she knew him well enough to know that he would always do stuff like that.

"I did it because we need some vacations, some time for the two of us and Kat" He added with a sheepish smile, knowing that he wouldn't be able to leave his daughter behind.

Tasha opened the envelope and inside there were… some tickets… to Russia… with their names. She gasped and then looked up to him, a smile forming on her lips. She couldn't contain herself anymore and had to kiss him. She did and then squealed with delight, Dimitri chuckled, pleased with himself. He knew that she'd wanted to go there for a year since their wedding, because she hadn't seen his sisters in since and they had a pretty good relationship.

But then her face changed, became a little sad and she sighed. She had to tell him because sooner or later he would know; it wasn't like she would be able to hide it for much longer. Those kinds of things were kind of hard to hide so she decided that it would be better if she just showed it to him instead of saying anything.

"I have something for you too, but I don't know how you'll take it" She looked at him and he looked very worried.

"What is it?" Dimitri was curious.

Tasha didn't say anything, just stood up, wrapped in the sheets, and walked to the bathroom. She bent down and reached for something in the cabinets that were beneath the sink where she'd stuffed her little secret and then walked back to bed. She waited till she was in front of him and took a deep breath. Things were going to be ok, they had to, she thought to herself because she had no idea how to say it. So she just handed it to him and watched as his face went from worried to a wide-eyed man who looked ready to pass out.

She almost laughed, almost, and probably would have in other circumstances, but she didn't found it as funny when he looked at her. He felt … excited and at the same time confused. He'd never thought about having another baby, not that he didn't want it, he just hadn't thought about it. But he was going to be father—again— and he… kissed her right then and hugged her tightly.

"Does this mean what I think it does?" Tasha nodded with a small smile.

"Yes" She answered.

After that it was another round of some alone time before deciding that they didn't want to be late for dinner at Lissa's house where they would eventually tell the news to everyone. Tasha hadn't thought about that till Dimitri suggested it but she liked the idea, though she didn't feel comfortable knowing that it would probably make her look like a desperate woman trying to keep Dimitri and it wasn't like that.

**I know you must really hate right now but please, breathe and let me explain before you pass out or something. Tasha is pregnant, yes, and you might not like it, but let her be. I know how most of you hate her but, again, she's not a bad person. Right now she loves Dimitri and all that, he loves her too. So, please, just keep reading. **

**Anyhow, I loved it how I got a bunch of reviews from all of you. I'm glad you like the story so far and want me to post the Dinner, which will be next chapter. Please don't hate me for Tasha's pregnancy… ****please. I want her to be happy and all, just like Dimitri. **

**Another thing, indeed, Dimitri does not remember the Queen's visit and I will tell you a secret if you keep reading. *get closer to the screen, yup, that's it* Now swear that you will keep reading… done? Great. Adrian did not use compulsion on Dimitri, he wouldn't dare knowing what Dimitri would do to him if he ever found out. LOL. However, that doesn't mean anyone couldn't have compelled him… It could have anyone or no one at all… The question here is: Who? I'll leave you to think about that.**

**Another thing… I want to start writing another story for the series The Mediator by Meg Cabot I will have it posted as a new story and if I get enough reviews then I will continue writing it. That is for all of you who have read the books, if you haven't but plan to read the books then DO NOT read my story because it has MAJOR spoilers about the end of the last book. Believe me, you do not want to read the end of the book.**

**Please review that story… and don't forget Lovely Rose With Thorns. Also, don't forget that as soon as I can I will post the other D & R story that I told you about. I haven't because I have homework to do and its due on Tuesday but it's a lost so… don't hate me**

**Review!**

**P.S. Please when you review try to cover everything I also wrote here, like about the mediators story and the other new story. I know that Tasha's news are shocking but also think about everything else too.**

**Thanks. Love y'all!**


	49. Fun

**RPOV**

I knocked on the door and Lissa opened it to let me in. The house smelled really good, and I mean really good. The kind of smell that was so mouth watering… I went in and almost tripped over my own feet when I saw Christian there, he was in the living room watching three little girls watching a princess movie. All four of them turned their attention to me when I came in and all I could do was just stand there and look back at them. It wasn't like I could suddenly run to my child, hug her and tell her how much I'd missed her because there was Christian and his two daughters as witnesses. Not to mention that they would all wonder why the hell I was calling Dimitri and Tasha's child my daughter.

It wasn't like Christian didn't know, he did know that Kathryn was mine, but the other three little girls, including my daughter, were clueless as to who I was. Well, maybe Kathryn knew me, but as no more than the woman who got her back to her dad yesterday when she was lost. Other than that I had no business whatsoever over here and they all stared at my just like I expected them to. But, slowly, Kat seemed to remember who I was and came running to me with a big smile on her face, she wanted to hug me and I had to bend down to do so.

"Marie!" She squealed.

I had to admit that I was rather surprised at her new nickname for me. I'd been called a lot of things, some nice and some not so nice, but I'd definitely never been called 'Marie.' It was weird because people always assumed that I preferred Rose, which I did, and who the hell would call their child Marie? Apparently my daughter wanted to call me like a saint when, in truth, I was not one.

"Kitten" I replied, the name rolling out of my tongue as if I'd said my own, so easily.

Her small arms closed around my neck when I bent down. It was so amazing and it felt perfectly normal to have her in my arms. I could still remember the last time I had her in my arms like it was yesterday and not five years ago.

"I thought you were gone" she said when we pulled away and decided to take a seat on the sofa.

"Well, I'm still here, for a little while" I said, feeling like I was saying goodbye again and the pain in my chest intensified a little. But I was able to ignore it more easily when Kat flashed me a smile.

I sat next to Christian on the sofa and watched Kat. She was like a Mini-me but more beautiful with her long brown hair braided back and bright, deep brown eyes that were a perfect copy of Dimitri's. Her skin wasn't tanned but it looked creamy and soft, so… perfect. She was wearing a pretty hooded black caviar dress with boots and she had a ribbon to hold her hair back from her face the same color as her dress so she looked so cute. I had no words to describe her.

I was getting tired of the glances I kept getting from Christian as Lissa came back and introduced me to her daughters who were very… weird. Well, not weird but completely different from each other. Rory, who had fine blond hair, was very polite and sympathetic with emerald eyes, just like her mother. But Val, the one with the dark hair and pale blue eyes, was so much like I imagined Christian used to be as a kid that I was barely able to contain my laughter as the innocent-looking kid talked to me. It was all so weird and yet it felt right, to be with Lissa and sharing a comfy evening.

"Christian stop gawking at me" I said, turning to him and he smiled.

"I'm not gawking" He said defensively but even he knew that he was lying. It didn't make any difference to me though, because I was starting to enjoy my self.

"Yes you were Fire Boy, don't deny it" It had been a long time since I'd called him that that it made all of us smile and for the briefest of moments it felt almost like when we were back at the Academy—almost because now there were three little girls giggling in front of us.

"why, thanks Rose, I've missed so much that silly pet name" The dark humor in his eyes made me laugh out loud for the first time in… I had no idea how long and it felt good.

"Uncle Chris, could you show us the balls of fire please?" Kat asked and it took me and Lissa a couple of seconds before we began laughing our asses off. I didn't think Kat had any idea how wrong that sounded. I knew she didn't because if she did then I was so going to kill Dimitri for allowing her to know that, and it made me go into a fit of hysteric laughter.

I also could have sworn that Christian blushed, but I couldn't be sure from all the laughing. I'm sure the girls were staring at us like we were crazy but I just didn't care.

"C'mon Uncle Chris, show us your balls of fire!" I shrieked and began laughing again along with Lissa.

It took us some time to stop laughing and when we did Christian was engrossed with the girls playing with _balls of fire_ that he created with his hand—how wrong that sounded!— and Lissa and I began to talk.

"Rose, how long do you think you'll stay here?" She asked, averting her gaze.

"Long enough for me to find and kill a Strigoi that is a threat here" I answered in a whisper, not wanting anyone else listen to our talk, though somehow I knew that Christian was paying attention.

"Is that what you did today?" She asked, looking at the big bruise on my right cheek and flinching a little when I showed it to her.

"Yes," I was tired of lying so I decided that maybe the truth would be better, but I was sure that she would have figured it out on her own, "and things didn't go as I planned but I'll be fine as soon as I find the bastard that I'm after" The bitterness in my voice surprised me because I'd intended to sound as calm and collect as possible but apparently my hatred for my pal was stronger. Who wouldn't hate him anyways? He was the one that told everything about Dimitri and me to whoever his boss was and I wasn't happy with that.

"You should ask for help, tell Dimitri…" I shook my head and she stopped talking. Through the long silent bond between us I could feel her worry and some guilt, something was bothering her but I didn't ask because I was no longer supposed to know. It had been five years since the last time I was able to feel her emotions and do something about it, ever since I left, put distance between us and ignored her in the bond, things had been silent between us. Except for the fact that I used to take the darkness away from her whenever I felt like I needed it or she sent it to me.

"I can't and you promised not to tell him anything, keep your promise please because if not is not only him who's in danger" I said stealing a glance in my daughter's direction who was currently very into the movie she and the girls were watching. I looked at the movie and as soon as I realized it was the part where the main characters were having their happy ending, I looked away, envy gnawing at my insides.

In movies and books everything was so easy, usually I avoided all that crap but now I couldn't ask them to turn it off or anything because they seemed to enjoy it. I, on the other hand, hated movies like that. I'd rather go out and kill Strigoi than have a stupid movie rubbing on my face the fact that I would never have such happiness with Dimitri ever again.

"I know" Lissa said and I stood up from where I was, determined to make the best of this afternoon. I hadn't planned to see Kat today, here at Lissa's, but now that she was here, and Dimitri wasn't, I wanted to take advantage of that and get to know my daughter.

"What are you guys watching?" I didn't really care, just listening to the cliché lines the actors were saying made me sick but I was going to do this for my daughter. Even Christian looked at me like I'd just screamed rape, I shot him a look to shut up and he just chuckled shaking his head in disbelief.

"We're watching the beauty and the beast" Val answered before Kat could say anything else and they all sighed. They obviously loved the movie, I hated it with every fiber of my body.

The rest of the time I spent watching the movie, when it ended Christian and Lissa called Val and Rory and told them that they were supposed to go wash their hands for dinner. I had no idea why but they didn't even complain, as if they'd been expecting that already and I smiled at Lissa, grateful for some time alone with my daughter who I'd just begun to get to know. As soon as Lissa's daughters left, Kat sat beside me, where Christian had been and smiled.

I couldn't help my self and had to smile back at her. She was very charming, and then just the thought of her struggling in a couple of years with the effects of Spirit made me feel a little sad. But while she was with me I didn't want to think about anything, which was why I frowned when I saw her eyes widened after I'd tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear. Then I remembered about the bruises and let my hair fall down again because I didn't want her using her powers on me again.

"What happened?" She asked and reached with her hand to touch my face but because this time I knew what she was planning to do I stopped her from healing me. Last time we saw each other she'd healed some of the pain in me, not all of it but some, and she'd asked me to keep it a secret from her daddy who'd told her not to do it, which meant that he knew and hadn't even bothered to tell me.

"Nothing, I'm fine" I answered with a soft smile but my daughter far from convinced.

"Did you have a fight with my daddy?" She asked and I frowned at her. What did she mean by that and why would she think that I sparred with Dimitri to get so beaten up?

"No, why would you think that?" Curiosity made me ask the stupid question and I was surprised when she smiled proudly.

"Guardians who usually train or fight with my daddy end up pretty much like that" we both laughed at that, me, because I believed her about that and was sure that I would end up probably worse if I ever fought against Dimitri.

"I believe you, but in this case it wasn't him who I sparred with" I clarified and changed the subject before she could ask who I'd fought because I would definitely never tell her. "So, would you like to watch another movie?"

She nodded and then I searched the piles of movies they had here for something that I would like but everything was either action or romance, but when I was about to give in to watch romance—I hated action—I found a comedy and put it on.

Kat said that she hadn't seen it and neither did I so it was fun. We laughed a lot at the characters sudden idiocy and when the other girls came back they also liked it. Lissa and Christian were setting the table while we watched the movie. Now and then they would also let out a laugh. As soon as the movie was over the girls attacked me, literally, but tickling me and because I was still pretty sore I flinched several times and didn't stop laughing. I took my revenge out and tickled the first one I was able to hold onto, which was Kat.

The other two little girls tried to help Kat but it was futile. I was having so much fun that I didn't realize someone knocked on the door till they were inside and being welcomed by Christian and Lissa. I stopped tickling my daughter and everyone looked up to see who'd just come in.

Kat stood up and walked up to her father. Dimitri Belikov had just come in along with Tasha, her arm linked with his, and he was looking at me with something more than hatred. I smiled at him, tauntingly, as if I couldn't quite decide whether I was pleased with his company or not but he didn't return the smile.

**Ok, so many of you said that you were all disappointed in me because there's no way D & R can be together now that Tasha is pregnant with Dimitri's child. Guys, everything is possible in my stories, even pigs might fly, LOL not really, so just hang in there and keep reading. Also, none of you reviewed my story Obsession about The Mediator series by Meg Cabot. But don't even read it if you haven't read the original books… though it would be nice if you read the books first and then my story… that would be awesome. Please review.**

**Thanks norikac for understanding me **

**I have the pics of the girl's dresses up in my profile if you want to see them and please do and review. Also remember that if I don't get enough reviews in Obsession I will take it off.**

**My upcoming story is called Rewind & Change, I hope y'all will like it.**

**Keep up coming the many reviews, we're almost 600 hundred reviews!**


	50. Interesting

His blood ran cold the moment he saw who was in the living room playing with his daughter, it couldn't be but it was true. Rosemarie was there, looking as pretty as ever with those skinny jeans and turtle neck sweater that somehow managed to give her body such a lean and curvy shape… He snapped out of it and bent down to take his daughter in his arms, Tasha stepped away a little and smiled at Rose.

But it was Rose who spoke first and broke the awkward silence that was thick, "Tasha! What a lovely surprise!" She stood up, very conscious of the fact that the wound in her side would reopen if she wasn't careful and after playing with the girls it had started to hurt like her, but she walked towards Tasha. Her strides long and graceful, something that only the best guardians managed to master after years of training.

The embrace between her Tasha wasn't awkward at all, maybe because neither of them had anything against each other, just one little difference, which was standing right next to them, agape. Tasha didn't hesitate, knowing very well that Rose would never hurt her in any way, and felt rather relieved that Rose didn't say anything else.

"Indeed" Tasha answered when they pulled away to look at each other like friends who hadn't seen each other in years, which was exactly what they were, friends.

"Let me congratulate you for your wedding, a little late maybe, but the intention is what counts, isn't?" Rose was being very sincere, everyone knew that and it hurt her deep inside.

"Yes, thank you" Tasha said, a little startled.

"What are you doing here?" Dimitri asked, his voice a little too harsh and Rose turned to him with the same smile as before. Even he'd realized that it was only him who always got the insincere and fake smiles from her.

Rose was about to reply something inappropriate but Lissa beat her to it, her explanation less… mean. "I invited her over for dinner. It has been such a long time since I saw her than that I thought it would be a good idea." Dimitri's anger lessened a little, but just because Lissa had intervened, otherwise he would have thrown Rosemarie out himself. And, after all, it was Lissa's house, Lissa was the one who'd always taken care of dinner and he had no saying on who she could and couldn't invite.

"You know mommy, too?" Asked Kat, she looked slightly happier.

"Yes, we were—"Rose hesitated a second before answering, she could say that they used to be friends, maybe not as closed as with Lissa but something close to that. "—friends"

"I think we should start with dinner" Lissa announced and everyone followed her to the dining room. Everyone took a seat as Lissa began serving the food in their plates, a nervous smile playing on her lips.

Rose sat next to Dimitri—ugh!— who looked like he wanted to get out of there and his body was stiff all the time. At his other side sat Tasha, who was chatting happily with Christian, who sat right across from her, and Kat sat beside Rose. Val and Rory were supposed to sit next to each other, beside Lissa's seat. When everyone was eating the silence was very uncomfortable, nobody dared to say anything.

Dimitri was maybe a little too much aware of Rose next to him and that made him very mad. He could not believe the fact that Lissa would do such a thing to him, she'd been the one to plan the dinner for his wedding anniversary and Rose had absolutely nothing to do here. And just to make things worse, Rose had taken advantage of the time and had been talking with Kat, telling god knows what. It was obvious that his daughter didn't know anything about the fact that Rose was her mother, otherwise she would have asked him about it already, which was good. He didn't want Rose telling Kat that she was her mother, she had no right.

Tasha assured herself that everything would be all right, Dimitri had reacted pretty bad when he saw Rose, she didn't know if she was ok with that or not, and Rose had been nothing but polite and sincere with her. Tasha wondered why, after all, she was with the man Rose had once loved. But what had her really worried was the fact that now, after five years, Rose still reacted to Dimitri the same way she'd done when they first met. Back then, Rose and Dimitri had been mentor and student, always acted around each other very weird and now they were doing the same.

It took Rose a minute to realize why she was eyeing her food blurry. The pain in her side had increased since she started moving from playing with the girls but when she stood up and walked up to Tasha and Dimitri… well, lets just say that it really hurt. She touched her side with one hand and found her sweater soaked with blood, it was a stain the size of her palm, but it couldn't be good. Not to mention the fact that her ribs and head were throbbing and making her slightly dizzy. If she was going to survive something like that she had to go to the clinic, now, but as stubborn as she was, she refused to give the stupid doctor the chance to say 'I told you so.'

It hurt like hell and she was feeling like crap with a broken body, so what? She was going to enjoy her time here, making Dimitri flinch and fidget at every sudden movement she made. She found it very amusing, and sexy. It was, but it was none of her business anymore, the sexy part of course. So she decided not to eat too much and just play around with her food.

When everyone was done eating, and Christian served more champagne, Dimitri stood up, holding his glass, with a fool's grin on his face that made Rose wonder what was up with him. One minute he was in such a low mood that it was almost tangible and the next he was smiling like he just won the lottery. There was something fishy going on and her foggy mind was curious. No pain was going to keep her from finding out.

"Tasha and I have something to tell you" Tasha smiled up at him like he was her hero.

_He probably is_, Rose thought bitterly.

"Is it as good as you make it sound?" Christian joked then his old dark humor came back and he mocked Dimitri. "Don't tell me, she's pregnant" Rose hid her smile by taking a bite of the food, she looked up to see Dimitri frowning slightly at Christian's suggestions and when he didn't laugh her blood ran cold.

"Stop it Christian, let him tell us himself" Lissa said, a mocking smile almost matching Christian's on her lips.

"How did you know?" Dimitri asked and both smiles on Lissa and Christian's face vanished.

"I'm pregnant" Tasha confirmed with a shaky laugh.

Rose choke on her food, literally. One second she was flabbergasted, looking up at Dimitri and waiting for him to laugh it off and say that it was impossible or a joke, and the next Tasha confirms it very proudly. That's when she began coughing like crazy and Dimitri just stood there, looking down at her. He didn't know if he should be angry or concerned because she'd interrupted so he decided that maybe looking indifferently would help.

But what surprised Dimitri was the concern in Tasha's voice when she stood up and patted Rose's back like she didn't know who that was.

"Rose, are you ok?" Tasha asked, unsure how to take that. Was it good or bad the fact that she was coughing like that after listening to the fantastic news? She sure as hell looked like she was dying as she coughed and tried to take a breath.

"I—I—am" Rose was still struggling to breathe and swallow when Lissa brought her a glass of water rather than the champagne and she took a sip.

"Rose…" Lissa began but was cut off when Rose raised her hand.

By now everyone was hovering around her, even Christian, except Dimitri who'd kept his distance from her. He was worried, but he was trying to deny it, and tried to do something while Lissa and Tasha aided Rose.

"Girls, why don't you go to your room and play a while? Grown ups need to talk." Ok, it was a little too cliché, he admitted it, but somehow he knew that their talk would turn out to be nothing like he expected it or wanted to, he thought that the best solution was to have the kids in other room.

Val and Rory nodded and went to another room, probably to watch TV, but Kat remained there, looking at her daddy and trying to figure out what was so important that only grown ups could be there. She was concerned for Marie, what if there was something wrong with her? Kat had barely had time to talk to her since she got here because Val and Rory had been there and for some reason she found her self liking Marie very much.

"Daddy, I want to stay and talk to Marie for a little while" Kat whined and Dimitri looked at her with an odd expression she couldn't quite read.

"No," He said, his voice a little too harsh. "Go play with your friends and I'll tell you when we're leaving"

"No!" She said getting a little mad. "I want to keep talking to her because I like her"

Dimitri sighed, frustrated with Rosemarie. She was complicating things between him and his daughter. It didn't matter she was her mother, it only mattered the fact that Rosemarie hadn't been there for her daughter all this time because now he didn't want her anywhere near Kat. "Kitten, please, listen to me and do as I'm saying so" He tried to be as gentle and understanding as he could, but the matter he was discussing was very complicated. "Go and play with your friends, I don't want to discuss this anymore" He saw her bottom lip quiver a little but she nodded and walked in the same direction the other girls had gone.

He stood up and turned back to where Rosemarie had been sitting. She was no longer there and neither was anyone else. He walked to the living room and saw that everyone was settled there with a glass of champagne in hand, chatting like nothing had happened. Well, Dimitri wasn't that happy to have to go there but he did and sat beside Tasha, putting his arm around her shoulders and smiling at her.

"I'm so happy for you Tasha, I wish you the best" When he heard Rosemarie say that he quickly looked at her in the eyes but she was avoiding his gaze, though he could hear the sincerity in her voice and had no doubt she really wished Tasha the best.

Tasha also found herself a little freaked out, not only because she knew that Rose was very sincere but because she'd been expecting her to get mad or something and this understanding and somehow happy reaction from her after she choked when she heard the news was really… unexpected.

"Thank you" Tasha answered and smiled at her.

"When did you find out?" Lissa asked, her voice cheerful and happy for both of them and Christian chuckled.

"Three days ago but I barely told Dimitri today" Dimitri pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head lovingly.

"And your news made me very happy" Dimitri complimented.

Rose had had a strange sense of déjà vu the moment Dimitri announced the fact that Tasha was pregnant because at Russia with his whole family present he'd announced the same thing, though at that time it had been Rose the one pregnant and this time it was Tasha. She felt like crap inside, worse than that, she was also happy for broth of them and she couldn't help it. She couldn't hate Tasha or Dimitri, she loved them both and she was truly happy that they would have their own family, but she loved Dimitri like something more than a friend.

Rose had always loved Dimitri with all her heart and soul, she was still his even if he didn't want her anymore and also felt melancholic knowing that she would never carry another child of Dimitri's, not that she wanted to get pregnant again so soon. It had been five years and she still remembered those months she was defenseless and as big as a damn cow, but it wasn't like she didn't want to have kids anymore.

In fact, she was sure that if she'd still been with Dimitri she would have had another baby already because that was how much she loved them, that she was willing to sacrifice herself to make him happy. _But that will never be the case anymore_, she thought sadly as she caught up with the conversations around her.

"What about Adrian and Viktoria? Where are they?" Rose asked, deciding that she would to go see them as soon as possible.

That brought a smile to Dimitri remembering that she probably had no idea that Viktoria had a son. But it was Lissa who answered the question.

"She's a guardian at St. Vladimir's and Adrian is teaching there, can you believe it?" Rose stared at her for a second before being able to grasp the words. She had to be kidding her about the fact that Adrian was teaching, much less at St. Vladimir's. How the hell was that possible?

"Close your mouth Rose, you might catch a fly" Christian mocked and Rose glared at him playfully.

"Liss, are you serious? Has Adrian finally settled down?" Rose couldn't keep the disbelief from her voice because she was truly shocked about the news.

Everyone laughed at that, it was very funny.

"Yes, and you'll never guess why."Ok so she was very curios.

"What?"

"Viktoria had a baby" Dimitri clarified with a low chuckle and then he regretted having talked to Rosemarie directly. Everyone else also seemed a little surprised so he simply looked as nonchalant as he could.

Rose sure as hell was surprised, not only because it was the first time that night that he talked to her directly, but because he said that Viktoria had a baby. It was a big surprise for Rose, she hadn't pictured Viktoria as the kind of girl who would have a baby so soon, even if she'd been raised at a Damphir community, and to make things more surprising, it was Adrian's baby. Very surprising, indeed.

"You're kidding me" Rose murmured but it was obvious they weren't. Anyways, she looked around to see that all of them looked slightly amused at the fact that she couldn't believe it.

"It was a boy, his name is James" Tasha chimed in and smiled.

"You should stop by the Academy before…" Lissa hesitated on saying the words because they hurt. "You leave"

Rose felt it, through the bond, again, the terrible sadness that overwhelmed her and then there was nothing in the bond. The darkness was taken away by Rose who suddenly felt very annoyed and bothered by everyone on the room. It was rather surprising the fact that after five years of the bind being kind of numb it had awakened now, when Rose least needed it to make her life even more miserable than it already was. But, hey, life is life, right?

"Yes, I will"

Everyone felt the change in the mood and Dimitri recognized the look in Rosemarie's eyes. One moment they were almost normal and the next they got that really dark and haunted look. He felt like he could almost see the depths of her darkened soul if he looked closely, but because that was none of his business anymore he shut her out and concentrated on making small talk with Tasha.

Rose, on the other hand, couldn't settle into a safe topic that wouldn't assure her calmness, so she decided that it was time to take a trip to the kitchen and get more wine, maybe something stronger if there was.

"Lissa, do you have something besides champagne?" Dimitri heard her and knew what she was planning to do but it was none of his business, not anymore because she was no longer his student or lover.

"Yes, is in one of the cabinets that are high up." Lissa said, a little confused.

Rose nodded and stood up, avoided wincing and walked to the kitchen looking for that high cabinet and when she found it she nearly groaned. It was, indeed, very high and she'd have to reach up, which would probably open her wound even more and she was so not up for the pain. Why did life have to be so cruel?

With a frustrated sigh she hopped on the counter and propped herself up with one knee but it was still a little high and had to reach up, ugh, which hurt like hell and she felt the blood gush from the wound like water a second before she felt the stinging pain. But then, out of nowhere a hand reached up, whoever helped her didn't even need to hop on the counter, just reach up and stretch a little and bam! It was done.

She didn't need to be a genius to know who the hell it was because 1) not many people were that tall, or muscular, and 2) his arm brushed against hers and a flash of heat shot through both of them and it felt so familiar…

He stepped away as fast as lightning, holding the bottle, as though he too had been burned.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, using the coldest and meanest voice she could master, and he gave her a slight shrug as if it was not important and it wasn't, up till the point that she had to get off the counter. The easy task was very painful and with Dimitri Belikov there was also humiliating.

She hopped off and walked to where he was opening the bottle as far away from her as possible. It was a bottle of Russian Vodka that she'd drunk many times now and was used to the burning sensation, almost learned to love it.

"That's my bottle, give it back Com—" she caught herself just in time, otherwise she would have called him Comrade, like back in the day when they'd still been dating and were in love. "—Belikov" She said instead.

He also froze for a second, recalling how much he'd missed that stupid nickname she'd given him since the first day they'd met, the minute they got off the plane, but then he kept on his task as if nothing had happened. He'd be damned if she admitted that to her or anybody else, he was just grateful that she hadn't said it because he didn't know what he would have done. Or how he would have reacted.

"I'll just have a glass and then it will be all yours, and if your planning on getting drunk, like I presume you will, please leave because I don't want you anywhere near _my daughter_ in that state." He emphasized the fact that Kat was more his than hers and that hurt.

"If I get drunk is none of your business!" She hissed in a whisper. "And she's also my daughter"

"But she doesn't know that" He replied dryly, almost mockingly.

With his glass full of vodka, he turned to face her and offered the bottle. Rose took it reluctantly and his fingers brushed hers accidentally. Both of them felt the same electrical jolt that went through them every time their skin made contact, the same kind they felt just a moment ago, but intensified and Dimitri let go of her quickly, he'd felt it too, which made him mad.

A moment later he went back to the living room without giving her the chance to say anything else.

**I'm so excited for all the reviews I've got. Right now I'm at school and about to take the Compass test and see if I'll be taking college classes next semester. YAY! Well, wish me luck. The reason why I haven't updated is because I've been working on my English project about the book The Odyssey. The book is soo good. I was watching the movie yesterday and loved it. Note that I do not know much about Greek mythology aside from when I used to watch the show Xena The Warrior Princess a long time ago when I was little…**

**Anyhow… I can't remember who but someone mentioned that I was dragging this story, I agree with that person. So I will make this chapter longer and then, when I have time maybe sometime next week, keep on writing the story to finish TP and start the third part. I want to be a surprise what the third part will be about but I will probably leave you a summary or something later… **

**Here are some clarifications for some people…**

**Fonny: Dimitri didn't act like that in the past because he wasn't under compulsion to not question anything that had to do with Rose. If you keep reading you will find out who compelled him and all that…**

**Peggy: Tasha is not almost forty. In the books she's in her late twenties while Dimitri is in his middle twenties, which means that if Dimitri is 29, in my story of course, Tasha must be in her early thirties… its only been like 5 years in my story after D & R broke up…**

**P.S. I won't be able to send more private messages, with only one or two exceptions, to explain to you the chapter because I'm kind of busy but in the next chapter I will try to answer your questions. **

**Keep reviewing!**


	51. Goodbye

As I lay on my bed that night, staring at the TV screen and changed channels without really looking at the programs, all I could think about was Tasha. She was pregnant and it was Dimitri's baby. Deep inside I knew that I should feel betrayed and angry at both of them, but I didn't because, after all, it had been me who left them, which didn't give me any right to try to reclaim my old life now. Not that I had any intention on doing that, because I would be going back to Europe in just a couple of days and all these would have to be forgotten. I mean, there was no point in trying to hold on to painful memories, or a fantasy that would never come true.

Besides, Dimitri was better off with Tasha, because, like I'd said before, she could give him everything I wouldn't be able to, like a normal home, love and would keep him away from danger. Not to mention the fact that he seemed truly happy, to which I smiled to myself.

I really couldn't have chosen anyone else better for him when I left. I knew it sounded stupid and all. You're probably asking yourself: What kind of person chooses another woman for the love of her life? Well, the kind of person that wants the love of her life and her daughter to have what she can't give them. That's the kind of person who does that.

I traced the pink scar on my abdomen lazily as I kept on changing channels with my other hand, and sighed. Lissa had seen the blood on my clothes and healed the wound when I wasn't looking. I'd told her not to, that I'd be alright in no time but she was stubborn and did it anyways. She really was a friend and I almost regretted getting mad at her before, when she first refused to heal Dimitri back at the Academy right after the attack, almost. It was pathetic, wasn't it? Five years later, I was trying to deny myself the fact that I would do anything to get Dimitri back—if I could—and still held a grudge against Lissa for the stupid attack. I obviously needed to get a life.

But how the hell could I try not to think about Dimitri when he was so close? Uh? There was no way. I mean, even if he hated me because he didn't know the truth—which was exactly what I'd wanted in the first place but now didn't like—about why I left I still loved him, if that wasn't masochistic and wrong then I didn't know what was. And I couldn't help wondering how things would be different if I hadn't left, or if he knew the truth. Just thinking about telling him the truth made me feel silly, that was just out of question no matter what.

I hadn't even had the opportunity to say bye to my daughter because I knew that if I asked to see her before going Dimitri would have made a scene. The look he shot at me told me that and I left reluctantly.

Now I was all alone, watching stupid movies and trying to get some sleep. The light in the horizon told me that it was morning for humans, and I almost wished I was one, almost. Because if I were human, if Dimitri and I were human, then we'd be together like we wanted. No queen, no need to keep my relationship with my daughter a secret.

It was futile though, to think that such a thing would ever happen.

**A week later**

"When are you leaving?" Lissa asked the morning I decided to pop at her apartment without any notice first. She'd been already up and cooking breakfast for Christian and her daughters, who were still asleep. I was not surprised knowing that Fire boy was very lazy, it was just a little shocking to discover that his daughters had inherited such funny treat.

"Today" I answered truthfully.

It had been a week since I'd come back and things weren't looking good. I still didn't have an idea where Louie was and last night I'd gotten a call from Mikhail saying that he'd seen him once at one of the night clubs we'd frequented, but as soon as he saw him, he fled the scene. No matter how long I looked for him, I hadn't found him because he was no longer here. I'd been here in vain god knows why they'd led me here in the first place. Now I had to go back and stay away from here ASAP just to kill Louie and make sure he won't be a threat anymore.

"Rose, please, you don't have to go…" This wasn't the first time she'd tried to convince me to stay, arguing that maybe I could at least spend more time with Kat, and this wouldn't be the time I'd give in.

"Yes, Lissa, I do have to go." She sighed, as if defeated, but I knew better. She wouldn't give up, at least not yet. "There's no place for me here anymore. Nobody needs me here." It hurt to admit those words, more so because it was true.

"I need you" She murmured. "Doesn't that count? Rose, you and I have been almost like sisters since kindergarten, how can you say I don't need you?" she sounded hurt, and I was too. But she only thought she needed me.

"You don't really need me" I tried to smile a little and placed my hand over hers from across the table. "You have Christian and your daughters. You have a happy family and you were happy before I came back and brought bad memories"

"That's not true!" For a moment she sounded like the old Liss, the one that loved me like a sister and loved to go shopping with me. She reminded me of the Lissa that had dragged me to many Royal parties held at school by some of her popular friends. "I mean, I do have a family but… its not the same without you." She held on to my hands with force, as if she were afraid I'd disappear. "I always thought that the moment I settled down with someone and had a family, a family of my own, you'd be by my side as my guardian and sister. That was even before you met Guardian Belikov and Everything changed."

My smile disappeared. "Lissa, I could have never been both. I admit that before I met Dimitri and the Attack at the Academy I hadn't wanted anything so much as to have the privilege to be your guardian. But I've realized that if I'd been your guardian I wouldn't have been your sister. You don't have a sister to let her risk her life for you, to put herself between you and danger. Sisterhood is all about being equals, and loving and protecting each other. As a guardian I would have to protect you and not me"

I knew that I'd been harsh the moment her eyes became watery and her bottom lip quivered. I hadn't meant to be that rude with her, it's just that when she mentioned the fact that she'd wanted me in her life that way, as her guardian, I snapped. I couldn't stand the thought of that. I didn't want to risk my life for others anymore. I just wanted to be able to care for myself, my daughter and Dimitri, like a normal person would.

"I didn't mean it that way." Lissa said. "I just… crap, Rose why can't you understand that I want you here with me? I want my friend back" A tear rolled down her face.

"Things have changed Lissa. I can't be here and you know that. I'm sorry, but I won't risk Dimitri's life for yours anymore. If I don't go back and keep killing Strigoi, then they will come after him. If I stay here and decide that I want to see my daughter, Tatiana throws me and Dimitri in jail and Dimitri will hate me for doing that to our daughter." I raised my voice a little louder. "either way I end up losing. There's no way in hell I can live with the fact that my daughter might hate me just like I used to hate my mother for leaving me. I don't want Kat to live with that resentment."

Lissa's features didn't' soften. "He already hates you. He is the one living with resentment, not your daughter who's oblivious to everything."

Her words stung me and I flinched. She was right about that but I still wouldn't let her convince me of staying. I knew the risk and wasn't about to cave in, unlike her who, even though knew the truth, still didn't think about all the consequences.

"He's alright, he doesn't need me. How many times do I have to say it, Lissa? He's with Tasha and he loves her, there's nothing else that I can ask for but his happiness." I stood up from the couch and began pacing back and forth in front of her.

"Rose, its you who doesn't understand…" But I cut her off again.

"Please, drop it. I don't want to talk about it again." Something in my face must have told her that I wasn't kidding and she pressed her lips together.

I sat back beside her and faced her. "Lissa, I can't stay, no matter how much I wish I could." I sighed. "Believe me, I want nothing more than go back with Dimitri and be with my daughter, but that's impossible now."

"But Rose…"I interrupted her.

"I'll leave now and you won't complain about it." As I spoke I held her gaze and waited until she nodded. "You won't tell Dimitri anything about what I told you and most important, you won't tell anyone else."

Lissa stared at me and blinked. "Fine, I won't tell" She answered in a small voice and then she began crying.

Moments later I was walking back to my apartment, trying as hard as I could not to burst out crying like I wanted because I didn't want anyone to see me crumble down. It was enough to receive strange looks from the people I came across, people who looked so unconcerned and happy that it just made me want to cry harder.

When I finally arrived at my apartment, I'd taken a shot cut through the gardens, I went to my room and let the tears fall as I took my suitcase with the little clothes I had. I took my time to pack and when I was ready I went into the bathroom and washed my face so no one would notice my red eyes from all the crying. With nothing else to do but leave and feeling like I was tearing my own heart out once again by leaving. Now, after seeing Dimitri once again and my daughter it was ten times harder this time. But there was no way out I had to leave.

I rolled my suitcase all the way to my rented car and put it in. I kept on hoping that my knight in shining armor would show up, swept me into his arms and tell me that everything would be alright, but that wouldn't happen, though it didn't cost me anything to dream.

I closed the trunk and felt as if someone was watching me, so I looked around and spotted the eyes on me. My stomach lurched and I almost had an anxiety attack.

Dimitri was watching me from across the parking lot and his gaze was fixed on me, following my every move.

I don't know for how long we looked at each other but the spell was broken when he suddenly looked away. I followed his gaze and saw Kat running from the other way into her father's arms with a big smile on her face. I grinned and took three steps forward until I met Dimitri's warning gaze again and he told me with his eyes to stay away. It was obvious that he wouldn't want me there and I knew when to take a hint.

I stopped gazing at him the moment I saw Tasha appear and went into my car. I felt foolish when I even slammed the door shut behind me. It was like having cold water splashed onto my face seeing Tasha there with my family and it hurt too much. I would be better off if I left, it was better to stay away. I was better off. With that I left once again.

**So this is the just a heads up here that there will be only one more chapter before this part is over. The third part has no name yet, and neither have i started it, well i did, I have a rough draft but there are lots of errors in there because i wrote it the moment I had in mind what would happen. so, yeah. I'll post the next chapter as soon as I get many reviews from you. Note that I didn't change R&D to D&T. Don't lose hope yet and stay tuned to read what happens in the last chapter in this part of the story... **

**On other news, I just watched online the show: 10 Things I Hate About You. That show used to be on ABC Family but they canceled it a couple of months ago because it didn't have enough audience. Well, I barely watched the 20 something episodes this weekend and they were so awesome! Patrick Verona is a hottie with a freaking deep voice that just melted me... *dreamy look* He reminded me of Adrian a lot, with his facade of bad boy and all. I seriously can't believe they canceled the show! And right when Kat and Patrick were finally together. This upset me greatly. Now, you might be wondering, what was she doing watching tv online when she was supposed to be writing another chapter for this story or any other of her stories? Well, i was watching the show and doing my homework which was due today. phew, I'm done with that. And guess what? i passed my reading and essay tests to take college classes, though I don't understand how the hell I didn't pass the writing one. How? Ugh... anyhow, so I will try to update ASAP.**

**Please review and tell me if you've seen the show I mentioned and if you liked it. **


	52. Author's Note

Author's Note

Please a moment of silence for my recently formatted and dead USB who just lost its memory along with our precious chapters of Turning Point, Lovely Rose With Thorns, Obsession and Rewind & Change. Everything was lost during that tragic format just a couple of minutes ago, not to mention the many stories I'd written to myself! I'm still in shock and hasn't sunk in the reality of it but the moment it does I will probably start crying. My stupid internet its also acting stupid and I probably won't talk to you for a while. Sorry but I just don't know what to do right now. I mean, I'd just finished writing the last chapter of TP last night and was planning on adding some stuff today but I went out this morning and then found out the death of my USB…

Sorry.

I don't know if I'll keep writing anything anymore, my apologies but I'm frustrated and sad and... ugh.


	53. Note

Author's Note

I'm so sorry for saying what I said before but i was really upset and I apologize if I made you mad. I'll make it up to you. I will keep the stories going. I was just talking with Becky and read the many reviews y'all left and I know that it would be unfair if I just stopped writing. Sorry. I'll post the last chapter ASAP. I was also wondering if y'all would mind if I post the third part of this story in my blog instead of here? the link is in my profile and will tell you in the last chapter of TP when I'll post the first chapter of the third book. promise. Tell me your thoughts about this. the reason why I'm doing this is because It would take me less time to upload them there but I will continue posting the rest of my stories, thou it will be a while until I do because right now my priority is TP and its third part.

Again, I apologize.

I will post the last chapter ASAP.


	54. Update

Author's Note

I'm sorry for disappearing like that for so long! Its funny how suddenly all of the AN start with an apology, anyhow, I have great news! I'm writing the last chapter of this part and will finish it this week, which means that I will update this week! and I promise to start writing the third part ASAP. I was just wondering if you would like an M scene on this last part or just an innocent one. I wouldn't want to corrupt any of you! lol. just tell me if you would like that or not and I will update ASAP. Love y'all!

P.S. The M scene would be between Dimitri and Rose... just so we're clear...


	55. It Ends Tonight

**ok, so because someone pointed out that i was dragging this part of the story longer than it should and that i should get to the good part then I'm posting this part and it has happened a couple of days after Rose left. Dimitri went to Russia with Kat and Tasha to visit his family and tell them about Tasha's pregnancy, i know its cliche and it reminds you when Rose and Dimitri did the same, but something bad happens. Dimitri goes out one night and then receives a call from John, who tells him more about the queen and that he has confirmed that she was behind it. so Kat and Tasha are kidnapped by Strigoi and Dimitri seeks Rose to get answers and to ask her to help him to get Kat back. so, here it is.**

It was painful, more than I would have ever though, to finally tell Dimitri the truth. But worst of all were the circumstances in which I had to let out my biggest secret. I had no idea how Dimitri had found me, and I certainly didn't care because I rather relieved he head, otherwise I would have never known about Kat and Tasha.

Still, I was so mad at him, so mad that I almost started to see red. "How the hell did something like that happen, Dimitri? I leave my daughter with you believing that she will be safe..." I was breathing heavily, trying to get a hold of my temper, and pacing around the room. "You were supposed to protect her!" I when I stop in front of him and almost started crying.

Dimitri's face showed pretty much the same emotions I supposed mine did and it didn't help he was so close, yet so out of reach. "I did everything I could when you left!" He retorted through gritted teeth and I could tell this was just as painful for as for me, perhaps even worse because they'd been his responsibility when Kat and Tasha were kidnapped. But I was too angry to care anymore; all I wanted was my daughter back and nothing more.

"I left for a reason, never would have left had I..." I closed my mouth when I realized what I was saying but it was too late. I could see in Dimitri's eyes that he was assessing my words and trying to figure out what I mean, probably trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together. Something I couldn't let happen, though it was obvious I would not be able to stop him from finding out.

"Why did you leave, Rose?" He questioned after a moment, looking at me in the eye and drawing closer to me, like a predator stalking its prey. I tried to look away and step back but he caught me by the arms with a dead grip and pushed me against a wall before I could protest. "I've been trying to figure that out for five years, believing that perhaps you were untamable and that nothing would ever be enough to keep you from fulfilling your dream of being a guardian. I believed your letter, you know? For some strange reason I did and now I wonder how it was possible that I didn't see the change in your behavior until it was too late. But now I wonder if there were more reasons."

Dimitri paused and stared at me, his deep brown eyes pulling me under his spell and I was unable to look away. I knew he wasn't using compulsion, he didn't have that ability, clearly, and I knew that it was just himself the one that could turn me into some sort of zombie with one look. His gaze still had the same effect it did years ago and I wasn't any less vulnerable to it than I was before. I tried to focus on whatever he'd been saying and I tried to remember why I wasn't supposed to tell him anything if I loved him so much, he was the owner of my heart and soul since the first time I saw him. So why shouldn't I tell him the truth?

_Because you want to protect him..._

That voice in my head snapped me out of it and I was able to fight that part of me that wanted to kiss and tell him everything out of all the love I felt for him, unfortunately, we weren't the only ones who would pay if things went wrong. Kat would be sent away and Dimitri and I wouldn't be able to do a thing about it.

I curled my lips into a bitter smile, showing him the fangs I had and his expression was priceless. "I have more assets than you thought," I murmured, pretending to take pleasure from his astonishment.

"How is that possible, you..." But i cut him off by laughing.

"Dimitri, Dimitri, my dear. You really believed that I was just an innocent little girl, didn't you? Well, let me tell you a story. That girl you met was so stupid that she left with you to have a baby, big mistake, when what she wanted the most was stay and be a guardian. She didn't want to be a normal, boring life and have a family, which would deprive her from doing what she wanted the most. So she decided to leave after that baby was born." I paused and tried to see if my little tale was having the effect I desired. It was hard to tell, though. "The only bad thing was that I needed blood to survive. Kat needed blood, therefore, I had to drink blood and I believe you remember the many times I drank from you. Guess what? After she was born I still had fangs and desired blood. You couldn't provide that anymore if I wanted to keep that and my intentions of leaving anymore. I am more vampiric now, still I can do pretty much whatever a damphir can."

Dimitri tightened his grip on my arms to the point that they started to get numb and I began to worry that he would hurt me. It was obvious he was angry and I was pretty sure it was at me. His brown eyes were tainted with anger and... Something else I couldn't quite decipher. But it was his cold voice that scared me. "You are telling me that you planned to leave your daughter even before she was born? Tell me one thing Rosemarie, if that is true, then why do you care what happens to her now?" I took my time to answer and come up with an answer, but it wasn't good and it barely made sense to me.

"I—I may not want her but..." My voice faltered and Dimitri picked up on that.

"Why don't you tell me more about your relationship with the Queen, instead? I heard you and her are very close, John specially just told me about what he found out and believe it or not, I know she's been funding your vacations around Europe to kill Strigoi." I stopped fighting against his deadly grip and stared at him, trying to think against the swelling panic in my chest. If he knew about that then... "Yes, I know the truth, but I wonder, and still can't come up with an answer, why did you keep silent?" All anger faded from his features and the look he gave me was more frustrated and full of pain and hurt that it made me want to die for causing him so much pain. I'd never seen him show this much emotion, or hurt and he's never looked so vulnerable than now.

"Dimitri..." I whispered and fought back tears. I was getting angry again and finally broke free from his grasp now that he'd stopped holding me so tight. I pushed him away from me and let my self come up with something, anything, which would mislead him from the truth he now knew. I had to do anything to keep him from knowing that truth. "I have no idea what you're talking about, perhaps the compulsion I used on you affected your thinking somehow, but I hate Tatiana, always have, so if I were you, I would check my sources before making any assumptions." I smiled a little, putting more distance between me and him, knowing that at any second I could crumble down and spill everything. "I left because I didn't love you," He looked defiant, but clearly stiffened and barely blinked at my words. Inside, I was burning up with love and so many more emotions, not to mention the truth that wanted to come out of my mouth to make him stop hurting. "I had a crush on you, yes, but it wasn't love and I realized that too late when I was away from the academy and everyone else. You, Dimitri Belikov, and the baby, were only holding me back. I am repulsed by both of you now, you can't just go ahead and have a life with that other bitch who is smitten with you and take care of that brat I left with..."

In a second Dimitri was in front of me and, so fast that I didn't see it coming, he pushed me against the wall. This time, though, he wasn't hurting me. He pinned my hands above my head with one hand and the other one cupped my face. "Roza," That old nickname broke through all the barriers I'd put it and I felt myself giving in again. "Roza, stop that game." He was almost his old self again. "I know the truth, everything. Just tell me why did you leave without telling me anything? We could have got through that, together. Did you trust me?"

I gulped and tried to speak past the lump in my throat, "I'm sorry," I croaked. "I'm so sorry. Dimitri, I had to leave, I couldn't risk you or Kat getting hurt because I was too weak to leave you. I'm so sorry." Tears gathered in my eyes, blurring my vision.

"Rose, you should have trusted me, you should have..." I could still see the pain in his eyes when I blinked the tears away and it made me feel worse.

"I should have done many things, Dimitri, but if I had to do it all over again, I would." I answered honestly and I saw the anger in Dimitri's eyes come back. He stepped away and a low growl arose from his throat.

"You should have trusted me, Rose!" He spat and I felt even worse. "You shouldn't have left like that and used compulsion on me! Rose, people who love each other don't do any of those things."

I burst into tears because I knew he was right. It hadn't passed a day that I didn't wonder what would have happened if Dimitri would have known about Tatiana's little game. I liked to think that things would have turned out the same, with me and Dimitri, but it was useless because I knew that things would have been different and perhaps Dimitri and would still be together.

"Dimitri, stop it!" I managed to say between sobs, trying to keep him away from me. "You would have done the exact same thing had the rolls been reversed. You wouldn't have risked Kat no matter what, if I had and thing had gone wrong... neither of us would ever be able to get over hurting our own daughter." Dimitri didn't bother to argue, I had him there. "Besides, no matter what I always told my self that it was enough knowing that you were happy... Tasha made you happy, didn't she? I made sure of that, and you love her. You can't deny that."

I saw the moment Dimitri realized the truth and I felt like I'd been slapped when he stepped in front of me and looked at me with rage in his eyes. "YOU!" He began, "made up all that? You played with her feelings and mine?" He stepped back, regaining his posture and putting back his guardian mask, which I was even more scared of than his rage.

"I had to, Dimitri you would have gone looking after me if I hadn't. I needed to make sure you would be happy and that you would stay. I knew you had feelings for her and she hadn't completely forgotten about you. It was kind of like with the lust spell Victor put on us. It wouldn't have worked if..." But he cut me off with a low growl.

Dimitri lunged at me, at first I thought he was going to attack me when he slammed me against the wall once again but then he crushed his lips to mine. The, oh so familiar jolt of electricity went through my whole body and it was like I was waking up from a long and awful nightmare. Suddenly, for the first time in years, I felt alive again and I didn't hesitate to kiss him back, or wrap my arms around his waist because he was too tall for me to wrap them around his neck. Our kiss was like no other we'd shared before, it was even better. His hot breath scorched my neck as he trailed kisses there and then behind my ear. I moaned when he nibbled at my earlobe and then my jaw.

"You shouldn't have done that Roza, because no matter what, nothing will ever compare to how much I love you and that will never change." His words burned me and made me whole again. I'd been waiting for years just to hear those words, actually thought I never would, and now I could barely believe it.

"I love you too, Dimitri, so much that it hurts too much." I answered.

He responded by pushing me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. With my arms securely around his neck and his arms on my beck, holding me tight against him, he made his way to the bed and sat on it. He moved on the bed until he was on the middle and I straddled him, cupping his face, savoring the taste of his lips. I gasped when I lowered myself on to his lap and I felt him harden underneath me. It had been such a long time since the last time I'd been with him that I felt nervous and ecstatic at the same time, as if this was my first time all over again. I arched into him and rubbed myself against his arousal, earning a moan from him. When his hands caressed my skin beneath my shirt and then took my shirt off in one quick motion, I felt like I was about to explode already from all the tension building up between us. Dimitri leaned back against the pillows and hissed as I kept taunting him, which made me smile.

"Roza..." He murmured with lust-filled eyes that made me want him even more and I was about to answer when he began to kiss my breasts and down my stomach—which were eye-level with him—and I moaned, forgetting everything else. Inch by inch and one by one, he devoured my breast with eagerness through the thin cotton of my bra but then he took it off.

It wasn't long before we were both naked and I wanted nothing else than to have him inside me. I could tell he was having the same problem as me, though he was currently enjoying himself with only caressing certain private parts of me and I was writhing beneath him from pure pleasure. The warmth in my stomach was increasing and I felt like I was about to faint the moment his finger found its way in me. But worse was the fact that I could feel his arousal on my thigh, so close yet not where I wanted it. He took his time torturing me with his magical fingers that rubbed my clit furiously until he also couldn't hold it any longer and he positioned himself better between my legs. I could feel him and the moment he thrust inside me with force that rocked my world, I screamed. Each thrust going deeper and deeper, getting us closer to the release we both sought. But that wasn't the only thing that was taking control over me, it was also the hunger. I hadn't had blood in a while and now I was contemplating Dimitri as a delicious snack. I still remembered the taste of his sweet blood and I couldn't take it anymore.

"Dimitri, I love you" I whispered just before we both climaxed and in that same moment I sank my fangs deep into his neck, drawing the blood I needed. It was so amazing that I tightened my hold on his waist and digged my nails into his shoulders. I drank a lot before I realized this wasn't just some random guy I usually picked up on the streets or from my team who knew about my necessities, this was Dimitri. I pulled away, breathing heavily, just like Dimitri. He was staring at me wide-eyed as if he couldn't believe what I'd done.

I stayed in Dimitri's arms, feeling like I was in heaven, and traced patterns on his chest with my fingers. I kissed his nipple and his hold on me tightened. I sighed, content with myself and then looked up at him. He looked almost the same, except that I could tell he wasn't. He'd also changed, just like I had, but our love hadn't. We still loved each other with passion and where our skin touched, it was as if we were on fire. Then I noticed the healing wound on his neck that my fangs had made and I looked away, ashamed of myself. I'd promised to never use Dimitri like that, ever again, and I'd done it. He didn't deserve to be treated like a blood whore.

Suddenly, I remembered why he was here in the first place and I sat up, afraid that our delay might have caused something bad to happen. "Kat!" I exclaimed and in no time we were up and about, getting dressed. This there was no time to kiss or anything like when we were at the cabin, I still treasured that night, because our daughter needed us. But I did notice how much effort it took Dimitri to stay up, which made me feel a lot guiltier.

When I was dressed and ready with my stake in my belt, Dimitri was still stumbling a little and when we were on our way out he almost fell. I caught one arm but he shook me off. "I'm fine!" He exclaimed, sounding angry and I flinched away. "We need to get to that warehouse, immediately." But somehow I knew that it wasn't so much the fact that we were in a hurry, or that he was too proud to accept my help, it was beyond that and I wanted to know what was so wrong.

"Dimitri, I—" but he cut me off when he began walking like nothing had happened. By the way he acted i was sure he was regretting what just happened but I told myself that I wouldn't, no matter what.

"We need to find Kat," He said as I tried to keep up with him, he was walking too fast for me. "And Tasha" I flinched but kept following him and that made me realize what we'd done, why he found it so wrong.

"I'm sorry," I said, not sure for what i was apologizing but felt the need to.

Dimitri seemed to understand that I'd also figured it out but he didn't stop or even turned around to glance at me. He kept going as if nothing was wrong, until I also realized that we were being stupid. " Dimitri, we can't go by ourselves, it's a trap and you know it."

He stopped in the middle of the street and faced me. "Dammit!" He cursed. "We need back up. Call the rogues and ask for help." I was on my cell phone talking to Mikhail and then he said he would be there in less than an hour with the whole team. I said my goodbyes and warned him about the fact that it could easily become a bloodbath; still he said he would do it.

"Dimitri... it wasn't your fault." I murmured as we hopped in a cab and paid the driver to take us to the warehouse that was at the outskirts of the city.

He knew what i was talking about and turned to me sharply, "Yes it was, I shouldn't have... It's not fair for Tasha no matter what you did to her, it will still hurt her." He hissed.

"I know," I said in a small voice. "But I just wanted you to be happy and Tasha seemed that person. She does love you, she just doesn't know why." I fidgeted with my hands on my lap and didn't dare look at Dimitri. In the past he would have put his hand under my chin to make me look at him and he would tell me that everything would be alright no matter what, that we would fix it. This time, he didn't.

"She didn't deserve this, I promised her I wouldn't do to her what you did to me when you left and I broke that promise just now" He was very upset indeed, he hated breaking promises.

We stayed quiet during the rest of the ride because we noticed the driver looking at us oddly. I couldn't stop thinking about what we'd just done. How good it felt. The way we felt together. It was too much and yet it didn't really seem to be enough for him.

When we arrived at the scene we paid the driver and he sped off and we walked up to the side of the warehouse, trying to get a good look at what was happening inside. At first I didn't see anything until a bunch of Strigoi coming into the room and just behind them two Strigoi were dragging Tasha, who was screaming and trying to get free, into the room and the way they were handling her made my blood boil. It She was trying to fight him off but no matter what kind of martial arts she knew, it wasn't enough, on the contrary, it made him furious and he slapped her. But that wasn't what made us both Dimitri and I run inside, that made us furious of course, but it was the way they were treating Kat. She was crying and trying to get free from the Strigoi's grasp, but it was useless and in one moment he had in his arms and the next he pushed her away and let her fall to the floor, where i was sure she got hurt.

Dimitri and I burst into the room, not caring that we had no back up, and attacked. The Strigoi reacted quickly and in no time I found myself fighting them off from all angles. They came at me and tried to kill me repeatedly, not caring about me but only Dimitri.

"Get Belikov alive!" Someone shouted as I staked one Strigoi and kicked another one that was trying to get a hold of my neck.

I looked around, trying to spot Dimitri but the Strigoi kept coming at me and I was surprised to see so many gathered here. There weren't as many as the bunch that attacked the Academy but it was close and it was only us two against many more. The odds weren't looking good for us and it was just then that i realized how carelessly we'd acted. We'd come inside when we saw what they were doing to Kat and Tasha not thinking the concequences. Now were trapped here, surrounded by Strigoi.

"Papa, Papa," i heard Kat crying out for Dimitri and in that moment i got distracted, giving one of the many Strigoi the chance to kick my stomach and another one bit my shoulder.

I cried out in pain and dropped my guard, which was bad because next thing i knew was that I was on the floor with many Strigoi hovering around me. Some sank their teeth into my flesh and with each bite I was losing my self more and more from all the endorphins that were getting into my blood stream. Soon they weren't as painful as the hits i got when the Strigoi were fighting against each other to get some of my blood.

"Roza!" I heard Dimitri's frantic voice but it was getting harder and harder to concentrate on something. And then, when I thought all causes were lost, my knight in shining armor began to fight the Strigoi off me, one by one they were getting off me and I tilted my head to one side, trying to get a good look at whatever was going on.

Dimitri was fighting them, with such rage and passion, but also he kept on faltering, getting hit when it was easy to block them and i could see he was getting tired and weaker by the minute. There were too many Strigoi for us to fight and I was just laying here on the floor.

One moment Dimitri was staking one Strigoi and the next one a Strigoi grabbed him and pulled him down on the ground. They grappled, strength against strength, but in the end it was useless. Dimitri lost the fight when another Strigoi grabbed him by the hair and his his head hard against the ground. I gasped silently with the little air I had left, knowing that this was my fault. If I hadn't drunk so much of his blood he would have been able to hold a little longer until the back up could get here, but now... now I couldn't even see Dimitri. But I had a pretty good idea on what they were doing to him and I began sobbing quietly. I tried to get up but I could barely move and the more I tried the more i exhausted my self.

"Marie" A voice said and I turned to see my daughter. She was kneeling on my other side, holding my bloody hand with many bite marks and I wished I could squeeze her hand but I had no strength left. "Marie, where's my Papa?" she asked, her eyes full of tears.

"I'm sorry..." I whispered and I hoped she could hear me. "I'm so sorry... I couldn't even... do this right." She brushed my knuckles against her cheek.

"Don't go to sleep Marie, please don't go to sleep. I'm scared and my Papa..." Her voice broke and my vision got blurry. I could barely see her now and I opened my mouth to say something when suddenly Kat wasn't there anymore. In her place a Strigoi has appeared and he was smiling evilly at me. I could still hear Kat's cries but this man didn't care. He leaned down until he was face to face with me and his fangs scared the crap out of me.

"You will be a great addition to our ranks," He laughed and then he sank his fangs into my neck, drinking the last drops of blood i had left in my body. Over his shoulder I saw Dimitri, also laying on the floor and another Strigoi extending his wrist to Dimitri's mouth. They were doing to him the same thing they were doing to me. They were going to turn us.

At the far side of the room the doors opened and my team came inside. I tried to hold on to consciousness; if I could only last a bit longer then things would be ok, just a little longer... My last thought before I passed out was that if I survived then I was going to have my revenge and would avenge my death and Dimitri's no matter what. This Strigoi had no idea about the fact that by turning me they were signing their death sentence.

**I know that by now you must hate me and all, sorry. anyways, the third part will take me a while to post because i still need to start it and it will be in Kat's POV, how she find out the truth about hr parents and meets her one true love too. But he's also hiding something... something that might get him killed... or worse... **

**I'll post a summary soon.**

**Please don't hate me! Remember that things will always get better, no matter how messed up things get. I can make anything happen, remember?**

**Please review.**


	56. Last announcement

Author's Note

Hey, don't be sad because TP is done! The third part will be much better with lots of action and I received some reviews with worried readers. R&D's story is not done yet. In the third part it will start with Kat, how she finds out stuff about her parents and begins to fall in love with who seems to be the worst person, but perhaps something good will come out of that. Kat won't have a baby if that's what y'all are thinking, it only means... well... you'll know when you read it. After a couple of chapters in Kat's POV then I will go back to D&Rs story and all that. i said I wasn't done with them and I'm not. I just want to give you an insight of Kat's way of thinking and how she viewed everything. So, please, keep reading. D&R are not together right now, so you think this is over? Of course not! We want them together, don't we? Well, then keep reading and find out...

Summary of the third part, will be posted in a few moments.

P.S. Someone said that it was very confusing how i skipped so many important moments since Rose left court to when Dimitri and her were together last chapter, well, that person asked me for the chapters in between that bu the truth is that I don't know if I ever wrote them. I mean, remember the incident with my USB? Well, the original document was there so whatever was written was lost and I can't remember what it was. still, if you would like me to tell you more about it or have any questions please email me to my email directly, its more likely that I will answer you.


	57. Another Update

Author's Note

I posted the summary for Turning Point's sequel so y'all can go and tell me if you like it. Also, please review.

In other news-I know I sound like the news, all boring-Becky will post her story! It's Vampire Academy based but not with Rose. Becky and I talked about VA a lot and she came up with that story for VA. So, there's no Rose because we wanted to do something new. It's set with all of the characters but this new person is mostly like Dimitri. I mean, we already saw in VA that opposites attract, as is the case with R&D, but how do you deal with someone who is a lot like you? She will post it next week I think. IDk. I read the first couple of pages and its really good. I loved it. I hope y'all will be nice. I'll give you the link when she posts something. :)

Happy holidays and don't forget to review the sumary. The story is called Everlasting Love.

P.S. Don't review here. Go to Everlasting Love.


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